■ 


nave,    book 


y 


A  N 

APOLOGY 

For  the  Liberties  of  the  Churches  in 
New  England : 

To  which  is  prefix'd^ 

A  Dilcourfe  concerning 

Congregational  Churches, 


By  SAMV EL  MATHER,  M.  A. 

Pallor  of  a  Church  in  Bofion,  New  England. 

■  ■  —Sed  tamen  meotum  Tertculorum  Rationes  Utilitas  Reipub~ 
lies,  vincat.    CICER.  Orat.  IV.  in  Catalin. 

—Delicatus  dmator   eft  CHRISTUS  ;  Non  poteft  amare  Sy- 
nagogam  prifcis  Ceremomis  ac  vetufta  Legis  fittdio  rugofam  — 
$uod  abet  rat  a  facris  Volumtnibus  non  eft  CHRIST  I.  ■ 
Sed  falfa  Scripturarum  Interpretatto  vera  Interpretations  re~ 
futanda  eft. 

DESIDER.  ERASM.  Roterod.  Symbol.  Catechef.  IV. 

^-Require  of  Chriftians  only  to  believe  in  CHRIST,  and  to 
call  no  Man  Mafter  but  Him  only  :  Let  tboje  leave  claiming 
Infallibility,  that  have  no  Right  to  it ;  and  let  them,  that  in 
their  Words  dij claim  it,  dif claim  it  likewife  in  their  Aft  ions  .- 
In  a  Word,  take  away  Tyranny,  which  is  the  Devil**  Inftiu- 
ment  to  fupport  Errors  and  Supetftirions  and  Impieties  in  the: 
feveral  Parts  of  the  World,  which  could  not  otherwife  withftand, 
the  Power  of  truth:  I  fay,  take  away  Tyranny,  and  rtftore 
Chriftians  to  their  juft  and  full  Liberty  of  captivating  their 
Under  ft  andings  to  the  Scripture  only  ;  that  umverfal  Liberty, 
thus  moderated,  may  quickly  reduce  Chriftendovie  to  Truth  and 
Unity. 

CHILUNGWORTH,   Part  I.  Chap.  IV.  Sett.  16. 


BOSTON: 

Printed  by  T.  Fleets  for  Daniel  Henchman,  over- 
againft  the  Brick  Meeting  Houfe  in  Cornhill.  1738, 


. 


To  the  Honorable 

Mr.  HOLDEN, 

One  of  the  Directors  of  the  Bank  of  England^ 
Ac  London* 

Honorable  Sir, 

I  Flatter  my  felf,  that  You  will  not  think  it  any 
Difhonor  to  You  to  be  own'd  as  a  Friend,  of  New- 
England,  efpecially  in  its  beft,  its  religious,  In- 
terefts :  And  for  this  Reafon  I  venture  to  dedicate  the 
following  Performance  to  You ;  defiring  You  to  re- 
ceive it  as  an  Acknowledgment  of  Your  many  good 
and  kind  Offices  towards  us. 

It  may  not  be  amifs  to  inform  You,  that  many 
Eminent  Perfons,  befides  Your  felf,  in  our  Mother- 
Kingdom  have  thought  favourably  concerning  us  and 
fhew'd  their  Readinefs  to  ferve  us.  The  catholic  and 
excellent  Dr.  Tillotson,  from  his  good  Opinion  of 
us,  frequently  concern'd  himfelf  for  the  Welfare  of 
New-England^  and  intreated  His  Majefty  King  Wil- 
liam to  fhew  the  Marks  of  his  peculiar  Favour  to- 
wards his  faithful  Subjects  here,  and  once  particularly 
was  fo  free  as  to  declare  in  the  Audience  of  his  Majefty, 
that  it  would  by  no  Means  do  well  for  Him  to  take  azvay 

from 


DEDICATION. 

from  the   People  of  New-England  any  of  their   Privi- 
leges.     And  the  meritorious  Bifhop  of  Salifbury,   Dr. 
Burnet,    b-fiues  many    other    weighty   Expreflions 
of  his  Kindnefs   to  New- England,   was  once  fo  good 
as   to  proicis    before     Dr.    Mather     my    honored 
Grandfather,    that  he  would   on    the  firft   Opportunity 
declare  openly  in  the  Houfe  of  Lords,  that  there  was 
a  greater  Sacrednefs  in  the  Charter  of  New- England 
than  in  thofe  of  the  Corporations   in   England  -,  becaufe 
thefe  were  only  Acts  of  Grace ;    whereas  the  Charter 
of  New-England    was  a  Contract    between    the   King 
.and  the  firjl   Patentees :    They  promifed   the   King    to 
enlarge  his  Dominions  on    their  own  Charges,  provided 
that   t'.ey  and  their  Pofierity   might  enjoy  fuch  and  fitch 
Privileges :  And  They  had  performed  their  Part :  Now 
for  the  King   to  deprive   their  Pofierity  of  the  Privi- 
leges  therein  granted  to  them,  it  would  carry  the  Face 
.cfi  Injuflice  in  it.     And  the  good  old  Lord  Whar- 
ton, the  laft  furviving  Member  of  the   famous  A f- 
fembiy  of   Divines    that  met    at    Weftminfter,    whofe 
Name  mould  be  very  dear  to   every  true  New-En- 
gllflj  Man,  upon    presenting  a   Petition  for   New-En- 
gland by  my  honored  Grandfather,   who  was  then  in 
the  Agency    lor    this  Province,    was    pleas'd    to  fay 
with  great  Zeal   and  Earneftneis    to  the  King,   that, 
if  he  were  fure   to   die    the  next  Day,    he  would,    as 
he  now  did,  appear  in  behalf  of  this   Country  and  follicit 
his  Favour  for  it.     And,  when  one,  from    whom   I 
have  the  Honour  of  immediately   defcending,    wrote 
an  Account  concerning  the  Affairs   of   New-England 
to  the  late    great    and    good    my    Lord    Chancellor 
King,   he  was  pleas'd  to  write  a  Letter  in  Anfwer, 
wherein  are  thefe  remarkable  Paflages ;    The  Account 
of  your    Country   was    very  acceptable    to    me:     And, 
wherein   1   can  fcrve  dtMr  it  cr  you,  I  JbaU  mways 
be  ready  ;   It  is  Matter  of  J'ov,  that  the  Chrifiian  Re- 
}inon  and  Learning  do  make  fuch  confiderable  Advances 
in  thofe  Parts  of  We   World.      And  indeed,  wherever 

the 


DEDICATION. 

the  Chrifiian  Religion  is  propofed  in   its  native  Plain* 
nefs  and  Simplicity,  it  is  moft  likely  to  fucceed. 

Hence  You  fee,  Honorable  Sir,  that  You  are  not 
lingular  in  Your  Regards  towards  us  and  in  Your 
Inclinations  and  Endeavours  to  ferve  us,  but  have 
fuch  good  Company  as  may  be  an  Encouragement 
unto  You  in  them. 

I  need  not  mention  to  You  the  Claim,  which 
thefe  Churches  have  to  their  Religious  Privileges  as 
Men,  as  Chriftians,  and  as  Protectants:  But  I  would 
obferve  to  You,  that  thefe  Privileges  are  confirm'd 
unto  them  by  the  Charter,  which  was  granted  to 
this  Province  by  King  William  and  Queen  Mary 
of  glorious  and  immortal  Memory. 

And  I  v/ould  further  acquaint  You,  that,  fince  the 
Grant  of  our  valuable  Charter,  the  fa?ne  was  ratified 
and  confirmed  by  his  moft  excellent  Majefty  King 
George  the  Firft -,  and  there  has  a  Law  pafs'd 
in  this  Province  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  of  W  i  l  l  i  a  m 
and  Mary,  wherein  it  is  exprelly  provided,  that 
the  refpetlive  Churches  in  this  Province  /hall  enjoy  all 
their  Privileges  and  Freedoms  refpecling  Divine  Wor- 
jhip,  Church  Order  and  Difcipline,  and  Jhall  he  encou- 
raged in  the  peaceable  and  regular  ProfeJJion  and  Prac- 
tice thereof :  Which  Law  has  bin  as  it  were  touch'd 
by  the  Royal  Sceptre:  For  it  has  bin  approved  by 
his  Majefty  of  Great  Britain :  So  that,  Honorable 
Sir,  the  Liberties  of  thefe  Churches  muft  be  deem'd 
to  be  as  Sacred  things  as  the  Ecclefiaftical  Liberties 
of  the  National  Churches  of  England  and  Scotland. 

Befides,  Sir,  I  can  truely  affirm ,  not  only  Con- 
cerning the  Church  of  which  I  am  the  unworthy 
Servant,  but  alfo  in  behalf  of  all  the  Churches  of  our 
llejfed   SAVIOUR   in    New-England    walking    in   the 

fame 


DEDICATION. 

fame  Faith  and  Order  with  our  /elves,  that  they  main* 
tain  an  inviolable  Allegiance  to  his  prefent  Majefty  of 
Great  Brittain,  as  they  did  to  his  Godlike  Father 
before  Him,  and  that  they  firmly  adhere  to  the  Suc- 
cejjion  of  the  Imperial  Crown  of  Great  Britain  in  the 
prefent  Royal  Family  :  Nor,  I  am  well  afTured,  is 
there  fo  much  as  one  Perfon  in  the  Communion  of 
any  of  our  Churches,  but  who  has  a  cordial  Regard 
and  Affection  for  the  Perfon  and  Family  of  our  pre- 
fent moft  gracious  Sovereign  and  yields  a  delightful 
Subjection  to  his  aufpicious  Government, 

Now  confidering  thefe  Things  •,  and  confidering 
withal,  what  an  honorable,  as  well  as  vaftly  beneficial, 
Addition  we  have  made  to  the  wide  and  extended 
Empire  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain :  I  faid,  Honorable 
Addition:  For,  while  the  other  Britifh  Provinces  and 
Colonies  have  for  the  moft  Part  bin  fettled  by  more 
indifferent  Perfons,  and  for  their  Nourifhment  and 
Support  have  bin  obliged  to  the  Royal  Bounties  ; 
This  Province  was  founded  by  worthy  Perfons,  con- 
fiderable  for  their  Families,  Educations  and  Fortunes, 
as  well  as  their  fuperior  Probity,  Religion  and  Good- 
nefs,  who  with  vaft  Hazard  and  Expence  paft  the 
wide  Atlantic,  and  confum'd  their  Treafures  and  loft 
their  Lives  in  thefe,  then  barbarous  and  inclement, 
Regions,  that  fo  their  Pofterity  might  ferve  their 
GOD  and  their  King  in  the  peaceable  PofTefTion 
and  Exercife  of  thofe  Civil  and  Religious  Privileges, 
which  they  had  purchafed  and  earned  for  them  : 
Nor  did  the  Crown  advance  any  Sums  of  Money 
i  >r  aflifting  and  encouraging  them  in  their  expenfive 
and  hazardous,  but  noble,  Undertaking :  Certainly, 
upon  thefe  Confiderations,  if  we  do  not  challenge  and 
claim  as  our  Due,  we  may  well  promife  our  felves 
however,  the  Royal  Favour  and  Protection  in  the  un- 
oifinrjd  Enjoyment  of  the  Liberties  of  our  Churches, 
and  Schools, 

i 


DEDICATION. 

I  have  rehearfed  thefe  Things  to  Yon,  Honorable 
Sir,  that  fo,  as  You  have  Occafion  for  it,  You 
niay  improve  them  to  our  Advantage  and  Comfort: 
In  doing  which,  as  You  will  encreafe  our  Obligations, 
which  already  are  very  great  unto  You  \  fo,  I  doubt 
not,  You  will  add  to  Tour  own  Confolation  and  Joyt 
For,  as  the  wife  Governour  of  the  World  has  hitherto 
llafted  the  Befigns  and  Attempts  of  the  Enemies  to 
New-England,  fo  He  has  liberally  rewarded  and 
hlejfed  its  Friends :  And  it  is  our  Prayer  and  Hope, 
that  He  would  gracioufly  continue  to  do  fo,  and,  in 
particular,  that  He  would  remunerate  and  pro/per  the 
honored  Mr.  Hold  en  according  to  all  the  Good 
which  he  has  done  to  the  Churches  and  Country  of. 
New-England. 

The  Talk  which  is  undertaken  in  the  following 
Sheets,  cannot  by  any  Means  be  accounted  lingular; 
inafmuch  as  it  is  a  common  Thing  in  the  Republic 
of  Letters  for  the  Learned  to  apologize  for  thofe  Dif- 
ciplinary,  as  well  as  Doclrinal,  Principles,  for  which 
they  have  a  peculiar  and,  as  they  imagine*  juft  EJleem 
and  Veneration. 

But,  as  to  the  Freedom  of  this  Dedication,  akho' 
it  may  be  a  great  and  probably  unbecoming  one  ; 
yet  You  are  well  acquainted  with  the  Occafion  of 
it-,  and,  I  believe,  my  Country  will  judge,  that 
You  were  highly  deferving  of  this  public  Manifefta- 
tion  of  Refpecl  and  Honor  for  You. 

I  cannot  but  hope,  from  what  I  have  heard  and 
learnt  concerning  Mr.  Hold  en's  generous  Senti- 
ments, that  the  following  Attempt  will  be  accepta- 
ble unto  You.  But,  however  this  may  be,  give 
me  Leave  to  beg  the  further  Continuance    of  Your 

Re-^ 


DEDICATION. 

Regards  and  Kindnefles  to  my  Country,  and  pleafc 
to  think  well  of  him,  who  defires  to  be  numbred, 


Honorable  Sir, 

among  Your  mofl:  refpe&Ful  Friends 

and  obedient  humble  Servants^ 


Bofton,  New  England, 
March  i,  1738* 

£  Mather* 


(O 


THE 


PREFACE- 


BEING  fenfible,  that  long  Life  is  not  to  be  de- 
fended on  here  below,  I  have  thought  it  advife- 
able  to  leave  fame  abiding  Teftimonies  that  I  have  lived 
(a)  behind  me  in  the  World  -,  and  I  have  determin'd 
to  bear  and  leave  my  Teftimony,  fuch  as  it  is,  to  the 
Order  of  the  Gofpel  in  the  Churches  of  New-England. 

As  many  of  our  Proteftant  Brethren  abroad,  fo  moft 
of  our  People  at  Home,  mull  certainly  have  fome 
Knowlege  of  the  Privileges  claim'd  by  thefe  Churches 
and  the  Reafons  of  their  Attachment  unto  them. 

But,  inafmuch  as  They  may  be  defirous  of  a  further 
Acquaintance  with  our  Religious  Privileges  and  what 
we  have  to  offer  in  Defence  of  them  ;  I  have  therefore 
thought  it  proper  for  their  Sakes  to  prepare  and  publiffi 
the  following  Apology,  wherein  I  have  endeavour'd  to 
ilhtftrate  and  confirm  the  more  diftinguifhing  Privileges  of 
thefe  Churches. 

That  fo  this  Attempt  might  be  more  fully  and  effec- 
tually anfwer'd,  I  have  confulied  the  publijb'd  Works  and 
many  of  the  Manufcripts  of  the  Fathers  of  New-En- 
gland, I  have  fear  elf  d  the  Records  of  the  Primitive 
Churchy  I  have  read  a  considerable  Number  of  later  Wri- 
ters, and,  in  fine,  I  have  examined  the  Writings  of  the 
Infpire.d  Apoftles  with  Induftry  and  Care  :  And  'hence  I 
have  bin  enabled  to  prepare  the  enfuing  Apology,  and 

offer 


(aj  J%riaie?ms  nohii   dentgntuv   4iu  viycre,  tehxgu.imus  alh 
£«/<*»  sua  noivimp  fejltmur*    tlw,  lib,  3.  iipift  8*  Caimm* 


ii  PREFACE. 

offer  it  to  the  Confideration  of  my  Countrymen  and  all 
our  Protectant  Brethren. 

By  this  Apology  They  will  foon  fee,  that  we  do 
not  think  Churches  are  fuch  Machines,  as  many  on  the 
other  Side  of  the  Atlantic  take  them  to  be,  contrhfd  and 
to  he  improved  for  the  outward  Advantage  of  fome  fort 
of  Perfons ;  but  that  they  are  Means  for  the  Edification 
and  fpiritual  Advantage  of  the  Faithful,  which  they  are 
oblig'd  to  refpecl  and  obferve  in  Obedience  to  Jesus 
Christ  our  Saviour  and  fupreme  Lord:  For,  to 
ufe  the  Words  of  the  learned  Abbot  Fleury  con- 
cerning his  Hiftory,  which  may  properly  be  applied  to 
our  Apology  and  ufed  concerning  it,  In  This  we  have  a 
Sort  of  Politicks,  which  are  Spiritual  and  all  Divine  ;  a 
Government  that  is  founded  on  Charity,  the  Public  Good 
leing  the  file  End  of  it :  For  the  Inter  eft  of  the  Gover- 
Tiours  is  no  Way  concerned  in  it(b). 

Befides  a  particular  Defence  of  the  diflinguifhing  Pri- 
vileges ofthefe  Churches  in  the  following  Attempt ;  there 
follows  after  this  Preface  a  General  Difcourfe  Prelimi- 
nary concerning  the  Nature,  Grounds  and  Reafons,  Anti- 
quity and  Advantages  of  Congregational  Churches ; 
which,  I  believe,  will  be  judg'd  by  the  Impartial  and 
Difinterefted  a  fufficient  Vindication  of  them. 

In  the  Clofe,  and  as  an  Appendix  to  the  Book,  I 
have  taken  Care  to  publifh  fome  Things  that  were 
never  printed  before  among  us,  as  well  as  fome  other 
Things  that  have  already  bin  given  to  the  Public,  but 
are  now  fcarcely  to  be  found,  concerning  the  Liberties  of 
the  New-Englifh  Churches,  their  catholic  and  comprehen- 
five  Principles,  their  declared  Regard  efpecially  to  the  Life 
and  Power  of  true  Religion  and  their  Duty  ayid  Inter  eft  to 
continue  in  their  refpetlful  and  affeclionate  Attachment  to 
thefe  Things. 

Some  perhaps  may  judge,  that,  in  attempting  to 
write  an  Apology  for  the  Liberties  of  our  Churches,  I 

have 


(bj  See  FUury\  Difcourfe  on  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory. 


PREFACE.  iii 

have  undertaken  a  Tafk,  to  which  I  am  unequal :  And 

frobably  it  may  be  fo  in  Reality  and  Truth:  But  yet 
am  inclin'd  to  exprefs  my  felf  concerning  my  Per- 
formance,  as  Tu lly  concerning  his  Orator ;  The  Work 
•may  be  great  and  arduous  %  but  to  him,  that  is  inflamed 
with  Love  to  it,  there  is  not  found  any  fufficient  Difficulty 
in  the  Way  to  difcourage  him  from  it  (c). 

However,  if  the  Remarks  and  Arguments  made  and 
collected  in  the  following  Pages  Ihould  be  accounted 
(lender  and  unfatisfaclory  •,  yet,  if  by  Means  of  them 
fome  abler  Perfon  here  or  elfewhere  mail  be  excited  to 
fet  the  Liberties  of  our  Chriftian  Brethren  in  a  fairer 
Light  and  to  Jhew  more  Strength  and  Vigor  in  defending 
them,  I  fhall  be  fo  far  from  repenting^  of  my  Care  and 
Trouble  in  preparing  and  publifhing  the  following 
Efifay,  that  I  mail  heartily  rejoice  in  the  good  Succefs 
of  it. 

But,  notwithstanding  This,  I  muft  be  fo  free  as  to 
declare,  that  in  the  enfuing  Pages  /  have  endeavour* d 
faithfully  to  reprefent  the  Senfe  and  Meaning  of  the  firft 
Planters  of  thefe  Churches :  So  that,  with  reference  to 
what  follows,  I  may  write  in  the  Style  of  Ve  g  e  t  i  us? 
I  am  far  from  affuming  any  Thing  of  Authority  to  my 
felf  in  the  following  Sheets :  If  I  have  collected  the  Senfe 
of  others  right  and  well  epitomiz9d  their  Thoughts  {d) 
which  are  varioufly  difpers*d  and  reduced  them  to  a  clear 
and  natural  Order,  I  fhall  think  it  fufficient. 

There  is  one  Thing  for  which  I  expeel:  to  be  fome- 
what  blamed :  And  this  is,  that,  in  illuftrating  and  con- 
firming the  Liberties  of  our  Churches,  I  generally  write 
in  the  Plural  Number  •,  whence  fome  may  conjecture, 
that  it  was  at  the  Direction  or  by  the  Defire  of  the  Chur- 
ches here9  that  I  write  this  Apology  for  them :   But, 

wherever 


(c)  Magnum  Opus  conamur  &  arduum:    Fed  nihil   dijjicife 
Jmanti  puio.    Cicer.  ad  Brut.  Orator. 

(d)  Nihil  mibi  AuthoritatU  ajfumo  :  Sei  qua,  ah  aliu  difpefA 
wlut  in  Ordintm  (pitomaja  confcrifoi    Veget,  i,  *,  q.  S. 


iv  PREFACE. 

wherever  I  ufe  fuch  a  Way  of  exprefling  my  felf,  I 
defire  always  to  be  confider'd  as  reprefenting  what  I 
take  to  have  bin  the  'Thoughts  of  the  Planters  of  thefs 
Churches^  and  fo  of  the  Churches  themfelves :  Nor  would 
I  by  any  means  be  underftood  as  directed  or  advifed 
by  the  Churches  to  enter  upon  this  Performance :  For, 
if  it  were  fa,  I  fnould  lofe  the  Comfort  and  Satisfaction^ 
.  it  not  the  Credit  and  Honour ■,  of  making  my  Free-Will 
Offering  to  their  Service  and  Advantage. 

Nor  is  it  at  all  improbable,  that  fome  may  find  Fault 
with  my  frequent  Quotations  from  learned  Authors  and 
References  to  them :  But,  if  the  Province  undertaken 
by  me  did  not  unavoidably  lead  me  to  make  thofe 
Citations  and  References,  I  am  very  much  miftaken : 
And,  if  it  did,  it  is,  I  think,  a  fufficient  Excufe 
for  me. 

As  to  the  Pafiages  felected  from  the  ancient  Fathers* 
I  have  only  this  to  fay,  that  they  are  generally  taken 
from  thofe,  which  are  accounted  the  beft  Editions :  And 
I  believe  my  References  to  them  are  exact  and  punc- 
tual ;  tho'  it  is  poffible,  that,  in  tranfcribing  them  into 
my  Common- Place  Book  and  this  fecond  Tranfcription 
of  them,  fome  accidental  Miftake  may  have  occur'd, 
which  any  good-natured  Man  can  overlook  and  forgive. 
I  have  one  Favour  to  afk  of  thole,  that  fhall  read 
this  Book,  which,  I  think,  cannot  in  Reafon  be  denied 
me :  And  this  is,  that,  if  any  of  them  fhall  think  fit 
to  animadvert  upon  any  Part  or  the  whole  of  it,  they 
would  be  fo  kind  as  to  put  their  Names  to  what  they 
p'ublifh :  For  otherwife  they  may  not  expect  to  have 
any  Notice  taken  of  them  ;  nor  may  they  expect  any, 
if  they  do,  urileis  they  write  in  fuch  a  Manner  as  to  re- 
quire a  fiiitable  Anfwer  from  me. 

I  lhall  be  very  much  difappointed,  if,  by  the  Publi- 
cation cf  this  fmall  Volume,  I  do  not  gain  the  Dii- 
pleaiure  and  Anger,  if  not  mortal  Enmity ',  of  many ; 
But  however  I  mail  not  be  forry  for  it,  if  I  fecure  to 
my  llli,  as  I  hope  that  I  fhall,  the  perpetual  Regard 

mi 


PREFACE.  v 

and  Friendship  (e)  of  all  the  true  Lovers  of  Mankind  and 
of  our  Chriftian  Brethren  in  particular. 

Since  my  writing  this  Book,  there  has  a  Pamphlet 
come  to  my  Hands,  which  it  is  faid  was  written  by  a 
Gentleman  of  the  Law  in  England,  the  Title  of  which 
is,  An  Examination  of  the  Scheme  of  Church-Power,  as 
laid  down  in  the  Codex  Juris  Ecclefiaftici  Anglicani,  &c. 
As  I  was  highly  gratified  in  reading  of  this  Pamphlet ; 
fo  I  cannot  help  reciting  fome  PafTages  from  it,  which 
were  peculiarly  grateful  to  me :  not  doubting  but  that 
they  will  be  fingularly  pleafmg  to  my  Countrymen,  and 
not  the  lefs  fo  for  coming  from  the  Pen  of  an  eminent 
Lawyer.  In  Pag.  120th,  121ft,  12 2d,  123d,  he 
writes  as  follows,  c  If  the  Gentlemen  of  Synodical  Learn- 
c  ing  wdll  permit  us  to  carry  our  Enquiry  on  this  Head 
c  fo  far  back  as  to  the  Apoflolick  Age,  we  mail  find 

*  that  the  Laiety  at  that  Time  bore  a  Part  in  the  moft 
'  folemn  Deliberations  which  concern'd  the  Intereft  or 

*  Government  of  the  Church.   The  whole  Number  of  Be- 

*  lievers  was  confulted  in  the  Choice  of  a  fit  Perfon  to 
c  fucceed  to  the  Apoftlefhip,  which  became  vacant  by 
'  the  Apoftacy  and  Death  of  Judas.    Matthias  was  cho- 

*  fen,  after  folemn  Prayer  to  God  for  His  Direction, 
c  by  the  Suffrage    or  Ballot  of  the   whole   Church  (f). 

*  The  Multitude  of  Difciples  was  advis'd  with  touching 
c  the  Inftitution  of  a  new  Order  of  Church  Officers, 

*  the  Order  of  Deacons  (g).  The  Conftitution  it  felf,  as 
f  well  as  the  Election  and  Confecration  {as  it  is  now 
c  call'd)  of  the  Seven,  was  the  Act  of  the  whole  Multi- 

*  tude.     The  Apoftles,    Elders  and  Brethren,    (or  as 

*  it  is  otherwife  exprefs'd  in  the  fame  Chapter  (£>),  the 
\  whole  Churchy  or  all  the  Multitude)  afiembled  at  Jem- 

6  falem% 

(e)Nec[ue  mep&nitet  mortales  Inimicitiat  fempi tenia*  Amichias 
habere.    CJCer.  Orar.  pro  C.  ftabirio  Pojlbumo, 
(Q  Ms,  Chip.  1. 
(g)  JSt,  Chap.  6. 
(h)  Ms,  Chap,  i$. 


vi  PREFACE. 

c.fakm(i),  to  deliberate  on  the  great  Queftion,  How 

*  far  the  Gentile  Converts  were  obliged  to  fubmit  to  the 
c  Law  of  Mofes.  And  after  two  of  the  Apoftles  of 
«  the  Circumcifion  had  deliver'd  their  Opinions ;  which 

*  they  fupported,  not  by  Apoftolical  Authority^  but  by 

*  ftrong  Reafoning  built  on  well  known  Facts,  and 
?  Principles  univerially  admitted :  And  after  Paul  and 
c  Barnabas,  Apoftles  of  the  Uncircumcifion,  had  related 

*  to  the  Affembly  a  Series  of  Facts  happening  within 
c  their  own  Obfervation  ;  from  whence  it  might  be  rea- 
«  fonably  concluded,  that  God  approv'd  the  Converfion 
6  of  the  Gentiles*  and  would  receive  them  into  his 
c  Chuch  widiout  the  Rite  of  Circumcifion  :    After  the 

*  AfTembly,  I  fay,  had  proceeded  thus  far  in  the  Way 
c  of  rational  and  free  Debate ;  they  came  to  a  Refolu- 
c  tion,  which  they  communicated  to  the  Churches  con- 
c  cern'd,  by  Letter  and  MefTage,  in  the  Name  of  the 

*  whole  Body.     Methinks,  by  the  Way,  his  Lordfhip's 

*  Reafoning  for  appropriating  the  Care  of  Spiritual 
c  Affairs  to  the  Clergy,  lofes  a  great  deal  of  its  Weight, 
t  when  we  reflect  on  the  Behaviour  of  the  Apoftles  in 
c  thofe  Inftances.     As  the  Apoftles  had  really  that  Su- 

*  .periority  in  Gifts  and  Abilities,  which  their  Succeflbrs 
«  Uefs  themfelves  withal, '  fbey,  of  all  Men  living,  might 
c  have  claim'd  a  feparate  and  exclufive  Right  of  Jurif- 
c. diction  and  Legiflature,  in  Spiritual  Matters.  But 
c  the  Apoftles  did  not  exclude  the  Brethren,  the  Body 
6  of  the  People,  from  their  Counfels ;  nor  dictated 
c  magifterialiy  to  them.  They  reafon'd  as  with  Men 
c  and  Chriftians  5  and  made  no  other  Ufe  of  their  fupe- 

*  rior  Gifts  and  perfonal  Knowledge  of  Facts,  than  to 
'  convince  and  perfuade.  And  their  Arguments,  at- 
'  tended  with  the  moft  evident  Tokens  in  themfelves  of 

<  a  difmterefted  Zeal  for  the  Honour  of  God,  and  the 

<  Good  of  the  Church,  had  a  fuitable  Effect  on  their 

*  Hearers, 

(i)  VerCe  11. 


PREFACE.  vii 

4  In  Conformity  to  the  Practice  of  the  Apoftolick 
4  Age,  the  Laiety  continued  to  have  a  Share  in  the 
j  Government  of  the  Church,  as  Memlers  of  a  volun- 
4  tary  Society,    and  interefted  in  its  Concerns ;    till  the 

*  Converfion  of  the  Roman  Emperors  made  "Way  for 
4  very  conflderable  Changes  in  the  Ecclefiaftical  Polity. 

*  Till  that  Time,  all  the  Affairs  of  the  Church  were 
4  adminifter'd,  at  voluntary  Affemblies  of  the  Parties 
4  concern'd ;  which  foon  gain'd  the  Name  of  Councils 
4  or  Synods  •,  whereof  the  Laiety  were  always  confi- 
«  der'd  as  Members.  At  thefe  Meetings,  Matters  of 
4  Order  and  Difcipline  were  tranfacted :  And  if  any 
4  new  Rules  appear'd  to  be  neceflary  for  the  Ends  of 

*  Government,  they  were  here  agreed  upon.  This  was 
4  the  Ecclefiaftical  Legiflature  of  the  'primitive  Church  (/). 

*  But  when  Chriftianity  became  the  eftablifh'd  Religion 
4  of  the  Empire,  and  Church  and  State  became  one 
4  Body,  confider'd  only  in  different  Views  and  under 
4  different  Relations  \  the  Ecclefiaftical  and  Civil  Laws 
4  of  the  Empire  rlow'd  from  one  and  the  fame  Source, 
4  Imperial  Prefcripts.  For  tho*  the  Name  and  Shadow 
4  of  the  Senatorial  and  Tribunitial  Powers  remain'd, 
4  thefe  Powers  had  been  long  extinguifh'd :  And  the 
4  whole  Legiflative  Power  of  the  Empire  was  really 
4  veiled  in  the  Emperor.      And  by   this   Legiflature 

*  were  Ecclefiaftical,  as  well  as  Civil  Laws,  ordinarily 
4  made ;  as  every  one  fees,  who  hath  but  look'd  into 
4  the  Titles  of  the  Juftinian  and  ^hecdofian  Codes.  The 
4  Emperors  did  indeed,  upon  extraordinary  Occafions, 
4  call  Ecclefiaftical  Councils  \  fometirnes  of  the  Clergy 
4  and  Laiety  r  as  particularly  at  the  firft  Council  of  Nice  \ 
4  but  more  frequently,  I  believe,  of  the  Clergy  alone  (jw). 
4  At  thefe  Councils  the  Emperors,  in  Perlbn,  or  bv 

c  their 


(1)  Conftitution  and  Difcipline  of  the  Primitive  Church. 
Edit.  1712.  p.  14$,  i44.  Father  Paufs  Rights  of  Sovereigns,' 
p.  44.  Treacle  of  Beneficiary  Maurs,  Edu  x£8o.  p   1?. 

(oj)  &cp&ut  Lib*  I  q,  j» 


viii  PREFACE. 

4  their  Minifters,  ufually  prefided,  and  aflfented  to  the 

*  Decrees  there  made  -,  and  in  fome  Inftances,  did  by 
c  a  feparate  Inllrument,  in  Form  of  an  Imperial  Pre- 

*  fcript,  ratify  the  Decrees.     The  Prefence  and  Con- 

*  currence  of  the  Emperor  to  the  Acts  of  the  Council, 
c  gave  them  their  binding  Force,  and  incorporated 
'  them  into  the  Laws  of  the  Empire.     For  the  whole 

*  Legislative  Power  being,  as  I  obferv'd,  in  the  Empe- 

*  ror,  nothing  could  become  Part  of  the  Law,  without 

*  his  Authority.     This  Principle  of  the  Neceffity  of  an 

*  Imperial  Sanction  to  Synodic al  Decrees,  feems  to  be  fo 

*  well  understood  in  Jufiiniatfs  Time,  that  he  exprefly 

*  ordain'd,  that  the  Acts  of  the  Councils  of  Nice,  Con- 
L  fiantinople,  Ephefus  and  Chalcedon,   mould  have  the 

*  Force  of  Laws  within  the  Empire,  &c.  And,  after 
this,  the  Author  proceeds  and  fhews,  from  the  124th 
Page  to  the  1 3  7th  Page  of  his  Book,  how,  after  the 
univerfal  Monarchy  fell  to  Pieces  about  the  Beginning 
of  the  fifth  Century,  the  Northern  People,  who  erected 
independent  Kingdoms  on  the  Ruines  of  it,  after  their 
Converfion  to  Christianity,  provided  for  their  Ecclefi- 
aftical,  in  the  fame  Manner  as  they  did  for  their  Civil, 
Polities;  and  how  this  was  gradually  brought  about 
particularly  in  England. 

But  what  can  be  laid,  if,  notwithstanding  fuch  fair 
Accounts  from  disinterested  and  honeft  Men,  the  infa- 
tuated humane  Race  will  not  believe  the  Truth,  but 
take  Pleafure  in  Unrighteoufiiefs  and  Oppreffion  ?  Truely 
it  muSt  be  accounted  a  melancholy  Thing,  and  be  for 
a  Lamentation  among  all  the  fincere  Lovers  of  Man- 
kind. 

For  my  Part  I  can  fay  with  the  learned  Dr.  Henry 
.More,  at  the  Clofe  of  his  ufeful  Expofetion  of  the  Seven 
Churches,  1  am  abundantly  taught  by  Experience,  that 
Ijoih  the  Finding  out  and  the  Receiving  of  Divine  Truths 
\un&  fail  by  others  is  a  fpecial  Gift  of  GOD.  And 
therefore  I  conclude  this  Preface  with  the  Prayer, 
whiclf  the  learned  Abbot  Fleury  makes  at  the  End 


PREFACE.  & 

oF  his  Difcourfes  on  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,  and  I  make  it 
with  all  my  Heart  and  Soul,  GOD  grant,  that  we  may 
reap  Advantage  by  being  born  in  fo  knowing  an  Age ;  and 
that,  if  we  are  not  able  to  recover  the  ancient  Difcipline  of 
the  Church,  we  may  at  leaf  know  how  to  efteem  it,  to 
reverence  it,  and  to  regret  the  Lofs  of  it,  AMEN  ( 


^iMi'Ml^^'MiuuL^iii^i^i'J^iSiStMi'^ii'  aB S« I '^ '^* ' * & ^*  oE) 'm? ' '^3 


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1.  2.  from  Bottom,  for  Commands  read  Command. 
P.  29.  1.  3.  for  Churchts  read  Churches. 

1.  28.  read  Chriftianifmo . 
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^S^siiSI 

A   DISCOURSE 

Concerning  the  Nature,   Grounds  and  Reafons, 
Antiquity  and  Advantages  of 

Congregational  Churches* 

Wherein  alfo 

An  Anfwer  is  endeavoured  to  fuch  Objections 
as  have  bin  raifed  againft  them. 


HE  Churches  of  New  England  are 
nominally  and  profefledly  Congregati- 
onal :  They  do  not  approve  the  Name 
dilndependent  {a),  and  are  abhorrent  from 
fuch  Principles  of  Independency  as  would 
keep  them  from  giving  an  Account  of 
their  Matters  to  their  Brethren  of  neighbouring  So- 
cieties, regularly  demanding  it  of  them. 

They  apprehend,  that  a  Congregational  Church  is,  h 
the  Inftitution  of  our  great  LORD  and  King  JESUS 
CHRIST,  a  Part  of  the  vifible  Church  in  its  militant 
State,  confifting  of  a  Company  of  holy  Brethren,  ■unites 


B 


to?ei. 


W  Platform  of  Church  Difcjplim.  Chap,  Hi 


2  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

together  by  mutual  Engagements  for  the  fublick  JVorfhip  of 
GOD?  and  their  common  Improvement  and  Edification  in 
Knowledge  and  all  Goodnefs. 

Nor  have  they  any  Thing  to  object  againft  that 
Article  of  the  Church  of  Engl  and,  which  fpeaks  of 
the  vifible  Church  of  CHRIST  in  fuch  a  Manner  that 
they  can  heartily  fubfcribe  unto  it.  For  they  firmly  be- 
lieve it  to  be,  as  is  there  declared  (b),  a  Congregation 
of  faithful  Men,  in  which  the  pure  Word  of  GOD  is 
preached  and  the  Sacraments  be  duly  adminiftred  according 
to  CHRIST'S  Ordinance  in  all  thofe  Things  that  of  Ne- 
ceffity  are  requifite  to  the  fame :  So  that  the  Earl  of 
Shaftsbury  was  exceedingly  in  the  Right,  when  in 
a  famous  Debate  He  faid  before  the  Houfe  of  LORDS, 
that  He  found  the  nineteenth  Article  did  define  the  Church 
direclly  as  the  Independents  do :  For  really  it  does  to. 
Onely,  if  it  had  bin  added  in  the  Article,  wherein  alfo 
the  Difcipline  of  CHRIST9 s  Church  is  duely  exercifed, 
they  think  that  the  Defcription  would  have  bin  more 
perfect. 

As  to  the  Churches,  which  anfwer  to  this  Defcrip- 
tion, they  are  Congregational;  and,  concerning  fuch 
Churches  as  Thefe,  thefe  Churches  are  not  afhamed  to 
declare  and  maintain,  that  they  take  them  to  be  infti- 
tuted  by  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  :  So  that,  if  any 
mould  ask  us  the  fame  Queftion  which  the  Roman 
Catholicks  frequently  ask  our  Proteflant  Brethren  abroad, 
Where  were  your  [Congregational]  Churches  before  LU- 
THER ?  We  have  the  fame  Anfwer  to  give  which  our 
blefTed  Saviour  gave  to  an  Enquiry  of  the  Jews 
concerning  Himself,  Search  the  Scriptures :  For  they 
teflify  concerning  Them. 

A  Dean  of  Worcefier,  we  know,  has,  not  long  fincey 
in  a  Sermon,  concerning  Ecclefiaftical  Authority,  declared 
in  thefe  Words,  He  mufi  never  have  looked  into  Scripture 
who  is  capable  of  thinking  it  aperfecl  Rule  of  IVorJhip,  I 
mean,  external  Worjhip  and  Difcipline:   But,  adds  Mr.; 

Dean, 

(b)  XlXth  Anicle  of  the  Church  QlEnghnd* 


Congregational    Churches,,  g 

Dean,  he  that  will  take  in  the  Writings  of  the  Primitive 
Church  as  a  Supplement  to  Scripture  in  thefe  Points,  can- 
not be  at  a  Lofs  to  know  what  are  the  Powers  of  Church 
Governours  or  what  the  Obedience  due  unto  them  (x).  But, 
as  for  us,  we  are  not  fenfible  of  the  Want,  nor  are  we 
defirous,  of  any  Supplements  to  the  Scriptures  in  thefe 
Matters:  Nor  yet  dare  we  indulge  a  Tho't  of  being 
wife  above  what  is  written  in  fuch  Points  as  Thefe  :  For 
we. find  fufficient  Reafon  for  falling  into  the  Sentiments 
of  the  learned  Mr.  Abbot  Fleury,  which  are  thus 
cxpreffed  in  his  Difcourfes  on  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,—- 
'There  was  nothing  wanting  at  that  Time  [h.  e.  the  Time 
of  Primitive  Chriftianity]  for  the  due  Government  of  the 
Church :  No  !  When  the  Apoftles  founded  it9  there  was 
without  Doubt  nothing  omitted  in  laying  down  PracJical 
Rules  as  much  for  the  Conducl  of  the  whole  Body,  as  the 
Manners  of  particular  Perfons :  And  thefe  Rules  were 
?ieither  imperfetl  nor  impracticable,  but  fuch  as  were  ab- 
folutely  necefjary  to  bring  Them  to  a  Gofpel  Perfection, 
more  or  lefs,  according  to  the  different  Meafures  of  GOD's 
Grace.  Thefe  Rules  were  not  imperfetl  \  fince,  as  the 
Chriftian  Religion  was  the  Work  of  GOD,  it  had  all 
Perfection  at  firft.  It  is  not  like  the  Inventions  of  Men, 
which  have  their  Rife,  Progrefs  and  Fall  GOD  acquires 
neither  Knowledge  nor  Power  by  Degrees,  All  Things, 
fays  our  SAVIOUR,  that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father, 
I  have  made  known  unto  you :  And,  fpeaking  of  the 
HOLT  GHOST,  He  will  lead  you  into  all  Truth; 
And,  to  fhew  that  this  does  not  only  relate  to  the  Tenets  of 
Religion,  He  fays  further,  Go,  teach  all  Nations,  teaching 
them  to  obferve  all  Things  whatfoever  I  have  com- 
manded you.  Every  Thing  then  was  equally  eftablifhed 
at  firft,  which  could  be  of  Ufe  to  Them  in  Practice,  as  well 
as  in  Faith. —  And  therefore  we  cannot  approve  of 
any  Humane  Supplements  to  the  perfecl  Rule  of  Worjhip 
B  2  mi 


(x)  P.  *9  of  faid  Sermon, 


4  A  Difcmrfe  concerning 

and  Order,  with  which  we  are  favored  in  the  holy  Scrip* 
tares. 

We  think  indeed,  that  there  are  fame  Circumftances 
relating  to  the  Worfhip  of  GOD  and  the  Government  in 
ihefe  Churches,  which,  agreeable  to  what  is  pra&ifed  in 
other  Societies,  may  be  regulated  by  Natural  Light  and 
Chriftian  Prudence  according  to  the  general  Rules,  of 
GOD's  Word,  which  ought  fog  ever  to  have  a  partial 
lar  Regard  paid  unto  them, 

But  at  the  lame  Time  our  Churches  judge,  that  they 
are  not  left  at  any  Uncertainty  about  the  Effentials  of  that: 
Polity,  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  fettled 
and.  would  have  to  be  obferved :  For  it  appears  to  them, 
that  there  is   a   Divine   Infiitution    for  the   following 
Things,  to  wit,  that  there  mould  be  public  Ajfemblies 
for  the  Worfhip  of  God  and  the  Improvement  of  His 
People  in  Knowledge  and  Vertue,  and  that  none  fhould 
officiate  in  them  but  fuch  Officers  as  CHRIST  has  ap-     i 
pointed  ;  that  Chriftians  mould  be  fated  Members  of  omrr 
particular  Churchy  and  that  particular  Churches  fhould  r 
have,  proper  fettled  Paftors  in  them  who  fhould  live 
among  them  and  inflrud  them  by  their  Preaching  and    3 
Example  \  that  Paftors  and  People  by  mutual  Confent  be- 
come jelated  to  one  another,  and  that,  by  vertue  of  the fe  :r 
Relations  which  are  of  Divine  Appointment  as  well  as 
by  their  own  Choice  and  Confent,  they  are  formed  and 
conftituted  a  Spiritual  Society  of  CHRIST'S  Inftit.Utiqn ; 
that  none  fhould  be  admitted  into  the  Communion  of  fuch 
a  Society  but  fuch  as  profefs  the  true  Religion  and  appear , 
in  a  Judgment  of  Charity  to  be  holy  Perfons  \  that  all  fuch 
as  are  allow'd  the  Privilege  of  Communion   in  fuch  a 
Society  mould  relieve,  comfort  and  ajjtft  one  another  in 
outward  Refpecls,  but  that  they  fhould  efpecially  be  help- 
ful to  one  another  in  their  beft  Interefts  \  and  that,  if  any 
break  in  upon  the  Laws  of  CHRIST  and  the  Society  to 
which  they  are  related,  they  arc  accountable  to  the  Society    - 
and  cenfuralle  by  it;  and,  in  fine,  that  all  fuch  particular 
Societies  fhould  live  at  Peace  within  themfelves,  and  hold  a 

friendly 


Congregational  Churches.  5 

friendly  Correfpondence  and  Chriftian  Communion  with 
other  Churches  for  their  mutual  Support,  Edification  and 
Comfort. 

This  is  the  Polity  which  thefe  Churches  own ;  and 
this  is  all  the  Form  of  Church  Government  which  they 
can  -find  in  the  Scriptures  to  be  infiituted  by  their  great 
Lawgiver  and  King  :  Nor  can  they  imagine,  that  any 
can  with  Reafon  deny  that4fuch  Churches  as  thefe  are 
true  Churches  of  JESUS  CHRIST. 

Nay,  if  thofe  are  true  Churches  of  CHRIST  in  which 
the  pure  Dotlrines  and  Precepts  of  the  Gofpel  are  taught 
and inculcated,  and  the  Sacraments  of  the  new  Covenant 
are  duely  adminiftred  according  to  the  Inftitution  of  our 
greaj  Saviour,  and  a  facred  Regard  is  always  had  to 
^ohaifoever  our  LORD  has  commanded -,  thefe  Churches 
mayj  then  efteem  themfelves  to  be  true  Churches  of 
Ch  k'lST  and  even  account  themfelves  the  trueft  Churches 
according  to  our  Saviour's  Inftitution:  For,  in  their 
conforming  to  that  Inftitution  with  inviolable  Fidelity, 
they \ mine  with  fuperior  Glory  to  others. 

The  Principles,  upon  which  thefe  Churches  are 
founded,  are  fuch,  that  they  need  not  be  afraid  or  aftiam'd 
of  owning  them  before  the  whole  World :  For,  accord- 
ing to  the  Account  of  the  Bifhop  of  Condom  concerning 
our  Congregational  Brethren  abroad,  thefe  Churches 
believe,  that  every  Chriftian  ought  to  follow  the  Light  of 
his  own  Mind,  the  Conviction  of  his  own  Confcience, 
nor  is  obliged  to  fubmit  his  Judgment  to.  the  Authority  of 
any  Perfon  or  any  Ecclefiafiical  Affembly.  'Tis  true  they 
are  for  paying  a  mofi  profound  Deference  to  the  Word  of 
God.%  nor  do  they  refufe  to  embrace  the  Decifions  of  Coun- 
cils and  Synods,  if  upon  a  due  and  impartial  Examina* 
lion  they  appear  to  be  reafonable  and  Scriptural :  But 
r.he  Thing,  which  thefe  Churches  utterly  difclaim  and 
refufe  to  do,  is  to  fubmit  their  Judgment  to  that  of  any 
AffeiMy  however  confiderable  ;  For  they  are  perfuaded, 
that  the  mofi  confiderable  Societies  of  Men  are  liable  to 
filiftafas  and  Errors ,  and  therefore  they  fubmit  to  ths 

Word 


6  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

Word  of  GOD  only,  the  Authority  of  which  is  undis- 
puted and  infallible  with  them. 

And,  as  thefe  Churches  afTert  and  claim  the  Right  of 
private  Judgment  as  Men,  as  Chriftians,  and  as  Pro- 
teftants  *,  they  alfo  declare  for  and  maintain  the  Rights  of 
particular  Churches:    For   they    conceive,   that  every 
Chrifiian  Society  or  Church  ought  not  to  have  any  Depen* 
"dance  in  Ecclefiaftical  Matters,  nor  are  obliged  to  ac- 
knowledge the  Authority  of  Councils  or  Synods  for 
their  Direction  and  Government,  but  ought  to  be  go- 
verned within  itfelf  and  by  its  own  Laws.     They  ac* 
knowledge  indeed,  that  they  ought  to  exercife  their  pro- 
per Jurifdiction  and  Government  within  themfelves  with 
Dependance  upon  our  Ueffed  SAVIOUR,  together  with 
His  Holy  Spirit  and  unerring  Oracles:    But  they 
think  themfelves  by  Divine  Right  excufed  from  Sub- 
jection to  any  other  Church,  tho'  it  be  a  Mother  one, 
and  that  they  may  exercife  an  independent  Jurifditlion 
within  themfelves.     And  the  Reafon  why  thefe  Churches 
give  into  fuch  Sentiments  is  fufficient :  For  we  cannot 
fuppofe,  that  Churches  are  to  he  propagated  as  worldly 
Dominions  -,  as  tho'  Original  Churches,  which  fend  forth 
their  Colonies,  muft  maintain  Dominion  and  perpetual 
Power  over  fuch  as  came  from  them :  For,  after  this 
Rate,  the  Churches  of  Geneva,  Heidelberg  and  the  united 
Provinces  muft  claim  a  Dominion  and  Jurifdiction  over 
the  other  Proteftant  Churches :  But  we  conceive  of  our 
Churches,  as  of  adult  Sons,  who  are  not  at  the  Difpofal 
of  their  Anceftors,  but  have  a  Right  to  govern  themfelves 
and  exercife  their  Power  with  refpeft  to  their  own  Poffeffi- 
ens ;  or  as  of  Branches  taken  from  true  Olive  i'rees, 
which,  bei-ng  planted  and  watered,  grow  and  encreafe, 
without  any  Manner  of  Dependance  upon  the  Trees 
from  which  they  were  taken,  for  Prefervation,  Support 
and  Fructifying  Vertue  (d). 

Thefe  Principles  are  the  firm  and  unmoveable  Foun- 
dations 

(d)  Ex  Vqqu  Dcfperat.  Cauf.  Papatus.  L.  Ill  Sec.  III.  Cap  IV. 


Congregational  Churches.  * 

clarions  of  thefe  and  all  Congregational  Churches :  And, 
-wherever  thefe  Principles  prevail,  as  methinks  they 
fhould  prevail  every  where  among  rational  and  confide- 
rate  Chriftians *,  there  the  Congregational  Form  of  Church- 
Government  mull  be  acknowledged  and  preferred  before 
any  other. 

But,  while  thefe  Churches  efteem  this  their  Form  of 
Government,  inafmuch  as  it  is  eftablifhed  upon  fuch  un- 
fhaken  Principles  ;  they  cannot  but  entertain  an  indiffer- 
ent, not  to  fay  a  mean,  Opinion  of  National  Churches  in 
various  Kingdoms  and  Countries,  with  an  Uniformity  of 
Doclrine  and  of  Difcipline,  which  are  a  diflincl  Govern- 
ment from  the  Civil,  their  Offices  and  their  Jurifdi&ion 
being  different ;  For  they  apprehend,  that  fuch  Churches 
have  introduced  Ecclefiaftical  Tyranny  and  Antichrift  into 
the  World  *,  and  they  are  almoft  ready  to  declare  with 
Dr.  Du  Moulin,  that  (e)  a  National  Church  has  bin, 
is  and  will  he  the  Caufe,  that  there  will  never  be  a  Church 
in  the  World  in  its  true  Purity •,  unlefs  Almighty  God  re- 
ferves  fome  among  the  Congregational  Churches :  For  in 
fuch  an  Eflablifhment  it  is  not  Truth  nor  Goodnefs  that 
influences  and  governs  •,  but  it  is  the  greateft  Number  to- 
gether with  worldly  Tower  and  Intereft,  that  rules  and 
bears  down  all  before  it :  So  that  it  is  not  from  a  blind, 
partial  and  unreafonable  Regard  for  the  Congregational 
Way,  that  thefe  Churches  do  not  approve  of  National 
Eftablifhments ;  but  from  a  clear  Apprehenfion  of  the 
Mifchiefs  arifing  from  fuch  National  Eftablifhments. 

Nay  fuch  is  the  Value  which  thefe  Churches  have  for 
the  Congregational  Way,  that  they  even  prefer  it  to  ail 
other  Eftablifhments,  whether  Popifh  or  Reformed,  whe- 
ther Epifcopal  or  Prefbyterian,  as  having  much  the  Ad- 
vantage of  them  :  For  thofe  Eftablifhments  cannot  fubfifr, 
only  by  the  Subordination  of  one  Judicatory  to  another : 
And  how  can  this  fubfifl,  unlefs  the  Civil  Magiftrate  ap- 

tro~;c. 
— i _ 1 

(c)  Dr.  Leans  Du  Moulin  concerning  the  Govercmtns  of  ijie 
Independents,  p,  23-. 


8  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

prove  or  tolerate  it?  But  now  the  Congregational  Way 
needs  not  the  Aid  of  the  fecular  Powers,  but  (lands  good 
without  it  i  flourifhing  in  perfecuting  Kingdoms,  and 
under  the  moft  tyrannical,  arbitrary  and  cruel  of  Princes. 

BlefTed  be  God  this  Government  have-  fufficiendy 
declared  their  Approbation  of  the  Congregational  Way  t 
But  if  God  our  Saviour,  as  a  juft  Punifhment  for  our 
Unfruitfulnefs  and  Ingratitude,  mould  frown  upon  us  by 
fending  us  fuch  Rulers  as  are  Enemies  to  the  Conftitution 
cftbefe  Churches',  we  may  reafonably  hope,  that  they 
will  not  deprive  us  of  the  due,  the  confefTedly  due,  Li- 
lerty  of  Mankind^  to  wit,  the  Liberty  of  chufing  our 
Religion  and  of  joining  with  one  Church  rather  than 
another. 

And,  while  we  have  fuch  Sentiments  concerning  the 
Congregational  Way,  we  cannot  but  grow  confirmed  in 
thefe  Sentiments  upon  finding  that  feveral  learned  Pro- 
teftants^  who  are  not  attached  unto  it,  are  even  compel'd 
by  the  Force  of  Truth  to  declare  in  Favour  of  it.  Not 
to  mention  Luther's  AfTertion,  that  there  may  be 
weighty  Reafons  for  feparating  from  Churches  which  are 
not  erroneous  in  their  Dotlrine  (f) :  Nor  yet  to  infift  upon 
what  Dr.  Stillingfleet  has  obferved,  to  wit,  that 
a  Chrijlian  is  bound  to  adhere  to  that  Church  that  retaineih 
moft  of  the  Evangelical  Purity  (g) :  I  mail  only  quote  the 
learned  Dr.  Jackson,  who  declares /fo  juft  andneceffary 
Reafons  for  which  Men,  whether  few  or  many,  may  and 
aught  to  feparate  from  any  vifible  Church :  Thefe  are  (h)y 
In  the  firft  Place,  becaufe  they  are  urged  or  conftrained  to 
frofefs  or  believe  fome  Points  of  Dotlrine  or  adventure  upon 
fome  Practices  which  are  contrary  to  the  Rule  of  Faith  or 
Law  of  GOD,  Sec.  And,  fecondly,  In  Cafe  they  are 
utterly  deprived  of  Freedom  of  Conference  in  prof  effing  what 

they 

(t)  Enamfi  yt&ttrta  nihil  tjfet  m  Doflrina  fontificia',  juftas 
tamen  fuijfe  Caufas  cur  ab  Ecclefia  Romana  not  Scjungcwnuto 
Luther*  in  Cap.  IV.  Geuef. 

(g)  Stiliingfleet'j  heme,  p  J09. 

<»  Dr.  lawMya  of  tte  Church  Chap.  XiV,  ad  Fin. 


Congregational  Churches^  9 

• '  they  inwardly  believe  or  be  bereft  of  fome  other  Means  tither 
altogether  neceffary  or  moft  expedient  to  Salvation^  both 
which  may  be  had  in  fome  other  vifible  Church.  In  which 
Paflages  we  have  a  celebrated  Divine  of  the  Church  of 
England  declaring  the  Reafons  of  the  Conduct  of 
thefe  Churches  as  exprefsly  as  they  could  themfelves  and 

:  juftifying  our  Choice  of  the  Congregational  Way^  as 
plainly  as  if  he  had  by  Name  recommended  it.  I  faid, 
that  I  mould  only  quote  this  learned  Doctor ;  and  indeed 
I  need  not  cite  any  other :  Tho*  I  could  with  Eafe  pro- 
duce almoft  every  Proteftant  Writer  of  Note,  who  has 
treated  of  the  Church,  as  giving  into  thofe  Sentiments 
which  have  determined  thefe  Churches  to  profefs  and 
practife  the  Congregational  Way  and  prefer  it  before  any- 
other. 

But  we  do  not  lay  any  great  Strefs  upon  the  Teftimo- 
nies  of  Men  as  weak  and  fallible  as  ourfelves :  Thefe 
Churches  neither  feek  nor  want  the  Recommendations  of 
others :  We  reckon  it  our  diftinguifhmg  Honour,  that 

:  of  all  the  Reformed  Churches,  we  are  the  moft  diftant 
from  the  Church  of  ROME,  and  the  moft  conform* d  to  the. 
Churches  in  the  Days  of  the  Apoftles  and  of  Primitive 
Chriftianity. 

It  is  well  known,  that  thefe  Churches  have  the  moft 

"•  inveterate  Antipathy  to  the  Dominion  of  the  Clergy  :  And 
the  Reafon  of  this  our  Antipathy  is,  becaufe  we  conceive 
that  the  Myftery  of  Iniquity  was  accomplimed  by  the 
Tyranny  of  the  Clergy  and  of  the  Bifhop  of  Rome  (i) 
under  the  Form  and  fpacious  Pretext  of  Eccleftaftical 
Power  and  Catholic  Religion  (k) :  And  therefore,  as  in 
the  Congregational  Way  the  Empire  of  the  Clergy  is  further 
forfaken  than  in  any  other  Form  of  Church  Government, 

C  we 

■ W.i(  \. , . m. 

(i)  Si  Epifeofm  diet  pot  eft  £  .filijcus  jlle  EccitfiA  Da  Qf '  Peftit 
Ov-bu  Tsrtarumi  fcil.  cpitcopus  Roinanus, 

Martin  tuthvi  Prasfar,  prefix.  lipift.  quibufd  J.  Hufs>  im» 
prefs.  JPitttbng.  1 5  57 « 

(k)  Roma&ie;  Petri,  qua  Pqftsralh  Honcri:,  Fa8x  Cafut 
fiiurutoi  quist[:iid  Win  fsfigsi  dtW^  follow*  **/#*. 


to  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

we  conclude  to  our  own  Comfort  and  Satisfaction  that  we 
are  at  the  moft  remote  Diftance  from  the  Mother  of  Abo- 
minations. 

And  we  are  free  to  appeal  to  the  World  of  Mankind, 
as  that  thefe  Churches  are  at  the  greateft  Diftance  from 
the  Church  of  Rome,  that  they  alfo  come  near  eft  to  thofe  in 
the  Da\5  of  the  Apoftles  and  are  moft  conformable  to  Pri- 
mitive Inftitution :  And  we  defy  any  Perfon  whatever 
to  produce  and  mention  any  Church,  which  is  fpoken 
of  in  the  more  ancient  Writers  for  two  hundred  Tears, 
■but  what  was  a  Congregational  Church. 

The  famous  Calderwood  exprefsly  afTerts,  that 
the  Word  Church  in  the  Scripture  is  never  ufed  to  fignify 
the  Faithful  or  Chriftians  of  a  Nation,  Province  or  Diocefe, 
as  it  is  now  ufed  when  we  fay  the  Church  of  France,  of 
England  or  of  Scotland :  This  Way  of  Speaking,  fays  he, 
is  not  dictated  by  the  Holy  SPIRIT  in  the  Scriptures  (I). 
And  thefe  Churches  are  entirely  fatisfied,  that  in  the 
New-Teftament  where  fever al  Ajfemblies  formed  for  pub- 
lic Worfhip  are  mentioned,  they  are  called  Churches,  nor 
are  they  ever  once  called  a  Church  in  the  fingular.  Nay 
we  are  perfuaded,  that  a  Church  cannot  once  be  found, 
only  where  the  Church  univerfal  which  comprizes  all  par- 
ticular ones  is  mentioned :  So  that  we  are  not  fhy  to 
declare  with  the  great  Hugo  Grot  i  us,  whofe  Autho- 
rity with  many  of  our  Brethren  on  the  Epifcopal  Side 
is  inconteftable,  tho'  not  with  us,  that  as  of  Old  there 
were  many  Synagogues  in  one  great  City,  fo  there  were  alfo 
fever  al  Churches  or  Meetings  of  Chriftians,  and  that  every 
Church  had  its  Bifhop  (7,1). 

If  Inftances  and  Examples  of  multiplied  Churches  and 
Bifhops  be  defired,  there  are  enow  at  Hand  to  be  pro- 
duced: I  might  mention  it,  that  in  Austin's  Time 
there  were  Nine  Hundred  Bifhops  in  Africa  (»),  tho5  there 

were 


(1)  Nomfi  iJIj    Pb>afu   did:  at  a    a  S$t*itu  [antio  in  Sniftum* 
J)idnclavih    AUar.  Dmnafcen.  p.  281. 
(m)  Grotius  '«  1  Tm    v.  17. 
(n)  4u£u#*  loin.  VII.  De  Geftis  cumEmeiit. 


Congregational  Churches.  |i 

were  not  half  fo  many  Cities,  and  many  of  the  Cities  in 
his  Time  were  Pagans  :  I  might  obferve,  that  in  Ireland 
St.  Patrick  Founded  Three  Hundred  and  Sixty- five 
Churches  and  as  ?nany  BiJJjops  (o)  5  whereas  to  be  fure 
there  never  was  that  Number  of  Cities  in  it :    I  mio-ht 
recite  the  Testimony  of  Baron  1  us,  that,  from    the 
Year  1 145,  there  were  a  Thoufand  Bifhops  in  Armenia  ; 
adding  the  Declaration  of  the  Emperor  Justinian' 
that  in  his  Time  there  were  but  Twenty  Cities  in  Arme- 
nia [fj\    and  their    Number  afterwards  decreafed.      I 
might  repeat  what  the  peevifh  old  Epiph  anius  has 
declared,  to  wit,  that  Alexandria  never  had  two  Bifhops, 
as^all  other  Churches  had  had.     I  might  offer  it  as  cer- 
tain, that  at  Antioch   there  were  two  Bijhops  together ■, 
Paul-inus  and  Eustathius:  And  it  may  be  de- 
pended on,  that  at  the  Conference  at  Carthage  with  the 
Bonatifts,  the  Orthodox  offered,  that  if  the  Donatifts 
were  overcome,    their    Bifhops  upon   diiowning  their 
Error  fliould  continue  in  their  Office  ;  and  if  the  People 
could  not  bear  two  Bifhops  in  one  Church,  a  Third  was 
to  be  chofen  (q). 

But,  inafmuch  as  thefe  Examples  and  others  of  the 
fame  Kind  which  I  might  bring,  may  not  have  the 
Stamp  of  Early  Antiquity  upon  them,  and  fo  may  not 
be  much  regarded,  I  mall  therefore  look  further  back, 
and  fay  what  we  have  found  in  the  more  early  Times  of 
the  Chriftian  Church.  7 

Now  we  are  ready  to  fpeak  concerning  thofe  early 
Ages,  in  the  Style  of  Father  Paul  (r),  as  thofe  happy 
Times,  when  the  Name  of  the  Church  was  common  to  the 
Congregation  of  the  Faithful,  unto  whom  did  belong  the  Ufe 
and  Propriety  of  the  Goods  which  are  called  Ec  cleft  aftkal 
And  it  appears  to  us,  that  no  ancient  Writers  for  the 

C  2  Space 

To)  Sic  fcifaii  Wmiut  &  Jtcobut  Armuhan  in  his  RcUjmm 
of  the '  Irijh*  ■ 

(p)  Peuavon.  &  Novel),  ig.  C,  J. 
(q)  Brevicujuro  Collationuro  cum  Donat|<>, 
(0  Hiftory  Qf  iheCouqejl  uf  Tnn$.  p.  %,q. 


12  ';  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

Space  oF  Two  Hundred  Tears  mention  any  other  Churches 
but  Congregational  ones :  And  this  is  what  the  profound- 
ly learned  Joseph  Mede,  in  his  Proof  for  Churches 
in  the    Second  Century,  has  clearly  and   abundantly 
evidenced  :  For  he  hath  fhewn,  that  no  Bijhop  had  then 
ntore  than  one  Altar,  and  that  one  Bijhop  and  one  Altar  were 
Correlates.     Nor  can  we  help  thinking,  that  the  Report 
of  the  Magdeburgenfian  Centuriators  is  well  founded,  to 
wit,  that  the  Churches  of  the  third  Century  were  Congre- 
gational and  enjoyed  the  fame  Government,  almojl  accord- 
ing to  the  Manner  of  the  preceeding  Age,  tho'  fo?nething 
encreafed  by  Pride  and  A?nbition{f).     And  we  judge 
Thorn  dick  to  be  in  the  Right,  when  he  acknow- 
ledges Bifhops  to  be  fo  plentiful  in  Africa   [in  the  Primi- 
tive Times]  that  every  good  Village  muft  have  bin  tJye 
Seat  of  an  Epifcopal  Church  (t) :  For  Sozom  e  n  declared 
before  him,  that  Villages  had  their  Bifhops  (u).    And  the 
Abbot  Fl  e  u  r  y ,  in  his  Difcourfe  s  on  Ecclefiaftical Hiftory> 
has  bin  fo  ingenuous  as  to  own,  that  in  thofe  Times  the 
D'iocefes  were  fo  fmall  that  one  Man  alone  might  be  fuffi^ 
dent  and  know  all  his  Flock  himfelf 
32  We  are  ready  to  acknowlege indeed,  that  Cv prian 
about  the  Two  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Tear  after  Ch  r  ist 
ufes  the  Term  Church  for  a  Colleftion  of  many  particular 
Churches  (w)  :  Rut  otherwife  we  cannot  recollect,  any 
more  than  the  excellent  Author  of  An  Enquiry  into  the 
Conftitution  of  the  Primitive  Church,  that  it  is  ufed   in 
this  Senfe  by  that  Father  in  any  of  his  Writings,  or  by 
the  reft  of  the  Fathers  3  For  it  is  manifeft  unto  us,  as 
he  that  hath  Eyes  may  fee  and  he  that  runs  may  read, 
that  whenever  they  ipeak  of  any  Christians  in  any  Pro- 
vince or  Kingdom  they  always  fpeak  in  the  Plural, 
never  once  in  the  Singular  of  the  Church  in  fuch  a  King- 

doifi* 


(l)   t»  Ctntur.   HI.   Cap.  j* 

(  )  Thoyuduk's  Right  ot  the  Churches  Review,  p.  i$$« 

(u)  Socmen.  L.  VII.  Cap.  19. 

(w)  Cypuau  m  Epift.  71.  6.  4.  p.  214. 


Congregational  Churches.     i£r 

dom  (x)-     Nay  we  find  by  the  fame  invaluable  Author*  - 
that  Eusebius  about  the  Year   'Three  Hundred  and  ' 
Twenty  fixth  of  our  Lord  ftyles  the  Laity  the  Churchy 
in  Oppofition  to  the  Clergy  (y). 

But  there  is  no  NecefTity  of  labouring  in  Defence  of 
Congregational  Churches,  which  are  fo  firmly  eftablifhed 
from  the  Scripture  and  moft  early  Antiquity,  that  it  would 
argue  a  ftrong  Prejudice  in  favour  of  fome  particular 
new  and  unfcriptural  Eftablifhment  to  be  againfl  them. 

As  for  thefe  Churches,  they  are  fatisfied  with  the 
Congregational  Way,  and  judge  the  Proofs  of  Congrega- 
tional Churches  from  Scripture  and  the  purefi  Antiquity 
to  be  ftrong  and  unanfwerable.  But  however,  it  we 
fhould  be  willing  out  of  Complaifance  to  the  Difciples 
ofERASTusto  allow,  that  neither  our  SAVIOUR  has 
inftituted  ilor  Primitive  Antiquity  favoured  any  particular 
Form  of  Church-Government,  but  that  every  State  and 
Kingdom  may  regulate  the  Affairs  of  Churches  and  forma 
Polity  for  them,  juft  as  mail  appear  to  them  to  be  fit 
and  convenient ;  (till  we  cannot  but  think  it  entirely 
reafonable,  notwithstanding  fuch  a  large  Concefllon,  that 
there  ihould  be  Congregational  Churches,  and  that  thefe 
Churches  mould  in  a  good  Meafure  have  the  Govern- 
ment of  themfelves :  For  it  is  fuitable  to  the  Nature  of 
Things,  the  Authority  of  the  Civil  Magifirate  and  the  Ob~ 
ligations  of  the  Paftoral  Care,  that  every  Church  Jhould 
all  within  herfelf  as  an  entire  and  independent  Body  (z). 
And  indeed,  as  particular  or  Congregational  Churches 
fupport  and  protect  the  whole  Concerns  of  Religion, 
they  have  an  undoubted  natural  Right  to  be  confulted 
and  act  within  themfelves ;  nor  ought  they  to  be  re* 
ft  rained  by  the  Civil  Magifirate  or  Lordly  Bijhops  or  Ma- 
gifterial  Synods, 

There  are,  we  are  fenfible,  various  plaufible  Pleas 
and  Arguments  againft  the  Right  of  particular  Churches 

to 


(x)  Sir  Peter  King's  Conftuution  of  the  Primitive  Cbunb.  p.  6. 

(y)  Ejufd.  Author,  pag.  lo. 

(z)  Dr.  Burnet'j Expofuionof  tbeTbirty-mr.e  A)ticUu\>  574. 


14  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

to  atl  within  and  govern  themfelves.  Some  infift  upon 
it,  that  the  Apoftles  had  Tower  over  particular  Churches 
and  that  their  Succejfors  therefore  Jhould  have  Power  over 
them  alfo.  Others  plead,  that  particular  Churches  Jhould 
he  abfolutelyfubjetl  to  their  own  Elders  or  to  other  Churches. 
And  many  others  argue,  that  particular  Churches  Jhould 
be  dependant  on  Councils  and  other  Judicatories  and  that 
they  ought  to  be  determined  by  them,  as  the  Jewijh  Syna- 
gogues were  by  the  Sanhedrim  at  JERUSALEM. 

Thefe  are  the  chief  Arguments  that  are  brought  againft 
the  Right  of  particular  Churches  to  all  within  themfelves 
and  govern  themfelves  :  And  thefe  mall  be  diftinctly  pro* 
pofed,  examined  and  refuted. 

As  to  the  Argument,  which  is  bro't  by  many  againft 
the  Congregational  Form  of  Government ,  from  the  Power 
of  the  Apoftles  over  particular  Churches^  by  which  it  is 
concluded  that  their  Succejfors  Jhould  have  Power  over 
them  alfo  •,  This  Argument  will  eafily  be  enervated  by 
conjidering  the  Extents  and  Limits  of  the  Apofiolical 
Power. 

Now  it  muft  be  acknowleged,  that  the  Apofiolical 
Power  reached  to  every  Church  as  much  as  to  any  one : 
For,  as  they  were  empowered  to  difciple  all  Nations  and 
baptize  through  the  whole  World,  they  were  alfo  direct- 
ed to  feed  the  Sheep  and  Lambs  of  Christ's  Fold,  let 
it  be  laid,  every  where  ;  and  I  am  ready  to  grant,  that 
this  Feeding  them  implies  in  it  all  the  Acts  of  Pafioral 
Government. 

But,  if  all  this  be  allowed  -,  yet  this  will  be  no  good 
Reafon  why  any  pretended  Succejfors  to  the  Apoftles 
mould  have  fuch  an  extenfive  Power.  How  indeed 
iliould  they  come  by  it  ?  For  it  does  not  yet  appear 
that  our  Saviour  gave,  and  His  Apoftles  tranfmit- 
ted  it  unto  them :  It  follows  therefore,  that,  altho1  the 
Apoftles  might  have  fuch  a  wide  Power  and  extenfive 
Influence,  their  Power  and  Influence  ended  with  them> 
and  no  ethers  may  claim  it  to  themfelves  and  atl  in  vertue- 
of  it. 

An<j 


Congregational  Churches,  15 

And  befides  I  am  ready  to  acknowledge  the  Power 
of  the  Apoftles  to  be  extended  not  only  to  all  Churches ',  but 
alfo  to  the  Performance  of  the  various  particular  Offices 
in  the  feveral  Churches :  So  that,  as  Paftors,  as  Teachers^ 
as  Rulers  and  as  Deacons,  they  might  teach  and  exhort , 
govern,  receive  and  diftribute  the  Offerings  of  the  Church  : 
Nay  I  am  willing  to  grant  for  the  prefent,  that  any  one 
Apoftle  or  Evangelift  might  baptize  or  cenfure  any  Offen- 
der, juft  as  if  the  whole  Church  were  prefent  and  con- 
curred in  thofe  Actions. 

But  what  then?  Will  it  follow,  becaufe  Philip 
baptized  the  Ethiopian  Eunuch  without  any  Church,  and 
the  Apoftle  Paul  excommunicated  Alexander 
without  any,  that  therefore  this  was  their  conftant  Prac- 
tice ?  No  furely  :  For,  when  the  Apoftle  Paul  could 
obtain  the  Confent  of  the  Church  and  Prefhytery  in  the 
Exercife  of  any  Act  or  Ecclefiaftical  Power,  he  readily 
took  it,  as  in  the  Ordination  of  Timothy  and  the  Ex- 
communication of  the  Inceftuous  Corinthian. 

It  may  therefore  be  fairly  concluded,  that  the  Apoftles, 

when  they  were  diftant  from  all  Churches,  put  forth  their 

Power  in  the  Adtninift  ration  of  any  Church- Alls,  and  the 

Power  which  they  had  received  of  Ch  r  ist   was  fulB- 

cient  to  countenance  and  juftify  them  in  fo  doing  -,  but 

that  in  Churches,  which    were  regularly  formed  and 

organical,  they  did  not  exert  any  fuch  Power  as  was  zn~ 

confiftent  with  the  Privileges  of  the  People.     Nay  they 

were  fo  far  from  it,  that  we  have  Reafon  to  think,  that 

they  did  not  baptize  or  ordain  or  excommunicate  without 

the  Confent  of  the  People.     Were  not  all  things  belonging  to 

the  Churches,  whether  Paul  or  A  poll  os  or  Cephas? 

Did  not  thefe  derive  their  Power  of  atling  in  them  from- 

'Them  under  CHRIST?  And  were  not  the  Apoftles  given 

to  the  Churches  ?  Truely  the  Scriptures  affirm  fo,  nor 

ever  fay  that  the  Churches  were  given  to  the  Apoftles  or 

any  ether  Rulers.      And,  as  for  the  Inftances  which 

have  bin  produced,  from  which  the  Plenitude  of  the 

Apoftolkal  Power  is  fometimes  argued  \  it  mult  firil  of 

«u 

•Hi 


*6  A  Bifcourfe  concerning 

all  be  proved,  that  there  were  Churches  formed  and 
gathered  in  the  Places  where  they  adminiftred  the  Ordi- 
nances of  CHRIST  and  the  Difcipline  of  His  Appointment \ 
before  there  can  be  any  Thing  argued  from  thofe  In- 
ftances  :  For,  if  there  were  no  formed  Churches,  and  it 
has  not  yet  bin  proved  that  there  were  in  thofe  Places ;  it 
is  not  at  all  to  be  wondred  at,  if  the  Apoftles  did  not  con- 
fult  the  Churches,  but  atled  alone :  They  could  do  no 
©therwife. 

But,  even  allowing  that  the  Apoftles  in  the  Fulnefs 
of  their  Apoftolical  Power  did  thefe  and  fuch  like  Acts 
v/hen  and  where  they  pleafed,  without  any  Regard  to 
the  People  ;  ftill  what  is  all  this  to  fuch  as  pretend  them- 
felves  to  be  Succeffors  of  the  Apoftles  ?  For  have  they  any 
fuch  Power  and  Authority  ?  Or,  ought  they  to  have  any 
fuch  ?  Or,  if  any  fuch  Pretenders  are  in  PofTeflion  of  it, 
how  came  they  by  it  ? —  Surely  thefe  are  the  Men,  that 
enter  not  by  the  Door  into  the  Sheepfold,  but  they  climb  up 
fome  other  M^ay :  They  are  therefore  to  be  confidered  by 
Mankind  as  daring  Thieves  and  Robbers  of  them  in  their 
bell  Interefts. 

There  are  others  who  argue,  that  particular  Churche: 
Jhould  be  abfolutely  fubjetl  to  their  own  Elders  or  to  other- 
Churches,  But  to  this  the  Anfwer  is  eafy,  to  wit,  that 
particular  Churches  have  an  undoubted  Liberty  to  acl 
within  themfelves.  Now  will  you  fay,  that  they  derived 
this  Liberty  either  from  their  own  Elders  or  from  Neigh- 
bouring Chriftian  Societies  ?  How  can  you  fay  from  the 
former,  when  it  was  in  the  Power  of  the  Churches  to 
chufe  their  Elders  and  they  exercifed  their  Liberty  in  the 
Choice  of  them  P  So  that  the  Churches  could  not  derive 
their  Power  and  Liberty  from  their  Elders ;  becaufe, 
before  they  had  their  Elders,  they  were  in  the  rightful 
Poffeffion  of  this  Power  and  Liberty,  and  f aw  meet  to  ex- 
ercife  it. 

And  how  can  it  be  faid,  that  other  particular  Churches 
conferred  on  them  this  Power  and  Liberty  ?  For  all  par- 
ticular Churches  have  equal  Power  and  Liberty  within 

them-  ' 


CoNGREGA?  IONAL  CHURCHES.        IJ 

fhemfelves.  There  was  a  Church  at  Cenchrea,  which 
was  but  a  little  Village*  a1  fmall  Port  to  Corinth  -,  and 
yet  that  fmall  Church  was  not  fubjetl  to  the  Church  of 
Corinth.  _  Nor  indeed  ought  any  one  particular  Church 
to  be  fubjedb  or  fubordlnate  to  another,  however  nume- 
rous, great  and  eminent :  For  there  is  not  a  Tittle  in  the 
Scripture  to  juftify  fuch  a  Subordination  of  Churches, 

Nor  yet  is  This  the  declared  Opinion  of  fuch  only 
as  profefs  and  practife  the  Congregational  Way  \  but  I 
find*,  that  others*  who  conform  to  a  different  Way*  have 
received  and  expreffed  the  veiy  fame  Opinion  :  Thus, 
for  Inftance*  the  vaftly  learned  Gilbert  Voet*  in 
Anfwer  to  this  Queftion,  Whether  Minifters  alone  *  m* 
fidered  by  them/elves  or  as  in  a  Body,  that  is,  as  a  meeting 
of  a  Synod  of  Minifters  %  and  whether  conftant  Claffes  of 
the  Delegates  of  Churches  whether  of  Minifters  alone  or 
other  Elders  along  with  them  are  the  firft  Subjeff  of 
Ecclefiaftical  Power,  fo  that  from  them  this  Power  is 
derived |  to  particular  Churches  and  their  Confiftories  ?  He 
writes  in  this  Manner,  No!  I  am  fo  far  fro?n  thinking* 
that  Churches  owe  their  Rife  to  fuch  AJfemblies  as  their 
firft  conftituent  Principles,  that  all  the  Power  of  the 
Churches  is  communicated  from  them  and  muft  finally  be 
refolved  into  them,  and  that  therefore  as  to  their  Rife  and 
continuing  to  off,  they  are  dependant  on  fuch  AJfemblies  z 
I  am  fo  far  from  thinking  this*  that  I  chufe  rather  to 
determine  the  contrary.—  For  this  I  offer  no  other  Reafon. 
hut  the  following,  that  every  particular  Church  is  by  itfelf* 
and  may  be  called,  a  Church,  and  confequently  is  the  firft 
and  proper  Subjetl  of  Ecclefiaftical  Power:  As  much  as 
every  Man  is  the  Subjecl  of  the  Faculty  of  Underftand- 
™&  (a).  Thus  that  eminent  Dutch  Divine.  And  if 
u D  any 

(a  J  Tantum  abcfi  ut  Ecclefias  ab  din  Can  bus  bun  tanquam 
pimisVrincipiii  conftituentibus,  omnemque  earvm  Potefiatem 
inde  communicari  &  m  Delegates  iUos  ultimo  rtfolvi,' atqut 
addo  neccjfarjo  ab  m  in  Oitu  &  atlu  fuo  depcndctcfutevi,  ut 
fotiui  contrariumfiatuam.  Sent  en  a  am  bane  meam  cxpluaba^ 
Pat;-  *5  uki  4s  CUflibus  &  Synodic    Rativm  miU*.  adfero, 

-  pm* 


1 8  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

any  fhouid  enquire,  well!    Granting,    that  particular 

Churches  may  be  the  fir  ft  Subject  of  Ecclefiaftical  Power  % 

ytt  may  not  a  Sanhedrim  or  Synod   or  a  Claffis  or  the 

Civil  Magiftrate  take  away  their  Power  from  them  and 

transfer  it  to  themfehes  ?    To  this  I  mall- only  render  at 

prefent  the  Anfwer  which  is  given  by  the  great  Divine 

juft  mentioned.     Now  his  Anfwer  is  in  the  Negative  :. 

For  fays  He,  not  to  repeat  the  Reafons  which  may  be  brd't 

from  their  Divine  and  Natural  Right ;  I Jhall  only  cite 

thofe  two  Elements  of  Right,  that  Juftice  is  the  conftant 

and  perpetual  Inclination  or  Will  of  giving  to  every  oner 

his  own,  and  that  they  who  have  a  Right  ought  not  to  be 

deprived  of  it.     Now  this  Right,  to  wit,  of  particular 

Churches,  is  divinely  conferred  and  poffeffed  by  Divine 

Right :  If  therefore  any,  regardlefs  of  the  Fear  of  GOD, 

Jhould  go  about  to  deprive  them  of  it,  they  may  expecl  the 

Fulfilment  of  that  Threatning,  in  Ifa.  XXXIII.    i .  •  Wo 

to  you  that  fpoil  and  deal  treacheroufly :  Thou  Jhalt  be 

fpoiled,  and  They  Jhall  deal  treacheroufly  with  you  ;  and 

that,  in  i  Thef.  IV.  6.  None  Jhould  go  beyond  and  op- 

prefs  or  over- reach   or   defraud  their  Brethren  in  any 

Matter  -,    becaufe  the   LORD  is  the  Avenger  of  all 

fuch  (b). 

But  then,  what  mall  we  fay  to  our  Prejbyterian  Ere* 
thren,  who  argue  that  particular  Churches  Jhould  be  de- 
pendant on  Councils  and  other  Judicatories  and  ought  to  be 
determined  by  them,  juft  as  the  Jewijh  Synagogues  by  the 
greater  Sanhedrim  at  Jerufalem  ? 

We  may  lay  and  ftand  to  it,  that  particular  Churches 
are  not  beholden  to  Councils,  Synods  or  any  other  Judica- 
tories for  their  Liberty.  *Tis  true  the  Church  of  An- 
t  i  o  c  h  .borrowed  Light  from  the  Synod  at  Jerusalem, 

and 


prater  iftam,  quod  EccUfiii  qu&libet  particularti  per  fe  fit  & 
dittatur  EccUfia,  £f  conftquenter  Primum  ac  Propnum  &ub- 
jetfum  fit  Puteflaits  Ecclefi.iftic& :  Non  minus  quam  Homo 
qwlibtt  'ft  Suhjeftum  Facultatn  intelligent.  poet-  Foiif. 

tcclefiaft.  Pan.  I.  Lib.  I.  Tutf.  II    Cap.  I. 

(b)  V(M<  Par,  ill  Lib.  L  Tiaft.  I.  Cap.  II, 


Congregational  Churches.  iq 

and  by   the  Decrees  of  that   Synod  were  eftablified  in 
Truth  and  Peace  :  But  it  cannot  be  made  to  appear,  that 
they  derived  any  Liberty  at  all  from  them.     No  !  They 
had  undoubtedly  the  Power  and  Liberty  of  ailing  within 
themfelves.     They  might  indeed  in  an  emergent  Cafe 
fend  to  Jerusalem   for  Advice  and  Afjiftance :  But 
this  fending  there  will  neither  prove  any  Jurifdiclion  in 
the  Jerusalem  Churches  over  the  Church  of  An- 
tioch,  nor  any  Want  of  Jurifdiclion  in  the  Church  of 
Ant  ioc h.     Any  Number  of  Men  or  3ny  Council  or 
Synod   of  Churches  may  dotlrinally  propofe  Rules  as 
neceiTary  to  be  obferved  •,  but  yet  they  may  not  claim 
any  Authority  in  a  Difciplinary  Way  to  punifh  xhok  that 
will  not  conform  to  thofe  Rules  :  And  therefore,  altho9 
a  Power  of  explaining  and  confirming  Dot! nines  according 
to  the  Scriptures  might  be  allowed  to  be   in  a  Council 
or  Synod,  this  will  not  prove  that  they  have  any  further 
Authority  in  a  Difciplinary  Way  to  enforce  their  Decrees 
on  particular  Churches  :  Nor  indeed  has  the  Word  of 
God  granted  to  any  Councils  or  Synods  or  other  Ju- 
dicatories any  fuch  Jurifdiclion  over  particular  Churches, 
Our  Prefl?yterian  Brethren  will  probably  fay  here, 
What !    Shall  particular  Churches  be  dependant  upon  no 
Judicatories'?    Why  may  they  not  depend  on  Councils  and 
Synods  and  other  Judicatories  ?  'The  Jewifh  Synagogues 
depended  on   the  Sanhedrim    at  Jeruialem  :    'And  why 
fhould  not  Chriftian  Synagogues  acknowledge  the  Jurift 
ditlion  of  neighbouring  Prejbyteries,  of  provincial  Synods, 
of  national  Conventions  and  General  Affemblies  ? 
.  I  anfwer,  that,  fuppofmg  the  Synagogues  or  particular 
Congregations  in  Ifrael  did  depend  upon  afuperior  Judi- 
catory ^  it  will  not  therefore  follow  that  particular Chriftian 
Congregations  fhould  do  fo  too  i    And  the  Reafon  is  very 
plain  and  obvious,  nor  is  it  eafy  to  enervate  it,  name- 
ly,   becaufe  particular  Synagogues  or  Congregations  then 
were-  not  complete  Churches.,  as  Chriftian  particular  Chur- 
ches now  are :  For  the  People  could  mi  have  the  ordi- 
nary and  continual  F/orfhip  and  Ordinances  of  GOD  in 
D  a  them* 


z&  '  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

thern  v  but  they  were  obliged  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem 
that  fo  they  might  attend  and  enjoy  them  :  Nay  they 
were  ftrietly  commanded  not  to  keep  the  Pajfover  nor 
to  bring  any  Sacrifices  and  Offerings  onely  at  Jerufalem, 
the  Place  which  God  had  chofen  for  the  fpecial  Seat 
pf.  His  Prefence  :  But  now  where  is  our  Jerufalem  ? 
We  knew  of  none  but  thai  which  is  above  >  the  Mother 
of  us  all. 

And,  as  for  Qhriftian  Churches y  They  are  entirely  dif- 
ferent Things  from  the  Jewifb  Synagogues :   For  all  the 
ordinary  Worfhip  and  all  the  fpecial  Ordinances  of  God 
our   Saviour    may  now   be   enjoyed    in   particular 
Churches ;  And  this  fhews  them  to  be  $  erf  eel  and  en- 
tire within  themfelves :  And  in  Truth  there  is  nothing 
to  be  found  in  ail  the  New  Teilament  of  any  greater 
Church    inflitued  upon  which   leffer  Churches  foould  de- 
fend:   Nor  are  any  Ordinanpes  or  Methods  of  Wor- 
fhip prefcribed  in  it,  but  what  may  be  obferved  in  every 
particular  Congregation. 
•  Befides  •,  It  is  to  be  confidered,  that  at  Jerufalem 
there  was  a  fupreme  Judicatory,  which  had  an  uncon- 
trollable Power  and  from  the  Determinations  of  which 
there  was  no  Appeal :    So  trt^t  this  was  the  dehikr 
Refort  upon  Earth  :     Let  it  be  fo :     But  in  the  New 
Teftament  we  read  of  no  {ych  fupreme  Judicatory:  And 
therefore,  if  we  pnee  depart  from  a  particular  Church  for 
JurifdiSliGn,  we  mall  be  wife  fyeyond  what  is  written  and 
run  wild  in  our  Imaginations.     All  J urifdiclion  there- 
fore fhquld  be  confined  to  particular  Churches,  in  whofe 
Hands  our  Saviour  hath  left  it;   Nor  may  any  par- 
ticular  Churches  by  any  Act  of  their  own  or  thro'  their 
own  Negligence  deprive  themfelves  of  tins  Power: 
For,  as  by  fo  doing  they  would  betray  a  great  tfrtifi 
committed  to  them,  fo  they  would  renounce  their  $)uty 
alfo  by  it :    For,   unlefs  they  have  and  keep  this  Jurifc 
diftion  within  themfelves,  they  cannot  faithfully  difebarge 
various  Duties,  which  are  required  of  them  by  Christ 
Jesus  their  Lawgiy^r, 

Thefc 


Congregational  Churches.  g| 

•  Thefe  Churches   indeed  acknowledge  a  Confociation 
of  Churches  for  mutual  Light  and  Afliftance  •,  and,  u 
they  conceive,  that  fuch  Churches  as  will  not  act  in 
Conjunction  with  others,  but  confine  their  Duty  within 
the  narrow  Limits  of  their  own  AfTemblies,  cut  them- 
selves off  from  the  external  Communion    of  the  Catholic 
Church  ♦,  they  judge  alfo  that  it  will  not  be  fafe  or  pru- 
dent for  any  Chriftian  to  commit  his  Soul  to  the  Di- 
rection and  Conduct  of  fuch  an  independent  Church.  But, 
while  thefe  Churches  acknowledge  a  Confociation  among 
them,  they  cannot  think  that  this  Confociation  forms 
and  conflitutes  a  new  Sort  of  Church,  or  a  Church  of 
Churches  as  the  famous  Mr.  Cotton  once  fpoke,  tho* 
he  afterwards  fpake  and  thought  otherwife :  Nor  do  our 
Churches  allow,  that  fuch  a  Confociation  may  take  away 
or  leffen  the  Power  and  Liberty  of  particular  Churches  : 
For  they  think,  that,  without  any  fuch  Confociation  or 
Correfpondence  of  Churches,  every  particular   Church  is, 
effentially  and   integrally   a  true  Church  (c)  :     And  it  is 
their  declared  Apprehenfion   and  Judgment,  that   the" 
true  Ufe  of  fuch  a  Confociation  is  to  dire  51  and  guide  par- 
ticular Churches,  as  they  may  have  Occafion  for  Light 
and  Help  :  Nor  have  they  any  Thing  to  object  againft 
frequent  Meeting  in  Councils  or  Synods,  to  learn  the  Spi- 
ritual State  of  the  Churches   within  the  Confociation, 
and  to  give  Advice  for  the  Amendment  of  what  may; 
be  amiis  in  one  or  another  of  the  faid  Churches,  for  pre- 
ferving  Wormip    in  its  Purity  and   Spirituality,   foe 
maintaining    a   godly    Difcipline  and  promoting  the 
Power  and  Evidences  of  true  Religion :    Provided,  that 
tl>er 'Churches,  convening  in  fuch  Councils  or  Synods,  are 
careful  not  to  injure  them felves,  but  fee  to   it  that  the 
Liberties  of  the  particular  Churches  be  not  invaded  by 
any  Determinations  and  Acts  that  may   be  paffed  in 
them. 

This 


fc)>0ff.  Par.  HI.  1.  i.  tiift-  III.  Cap.  II- 


22  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

This  was  the  Opinion  of  the  Fathers  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  indeed  of  all  the  ancient  Non-Conformifts  al- 
moft  in  England:  So  one  of  them  in  the  Name  of  the 
Reft  has  obferved ;  and  Dr.  Down  ham,  in  a  Ser- 
mon at  Lambeth,  page  5th.  fays,  'They,  that  is,  the 
Non-Conformifts,  fay,  that  every  Parijh  hath  fufficient 
Authority  within  it  f elf  immediately  derived  from  CHRIST 
for  the 'Government  of  itfelf  in  all  Caufes  Ecclefiaftical. 

Bat  fome  fanguine  People  cannot  be  content  with 
fuch  a  Confociation  as  has  bin  mentioned  :  No !  They 
want  fomething  further  :  They  muft  have  their  Judi- 
catories, they  will  have  their  decifive  Synods  or  Convoca- 
tions, or  elfe  they  will  prefently  be  for  condemning  the 
Gofpel  as  more  defetlive  than  the  Law :  Nay  it  is  well, 
if  they  do  not  plead  for  external  Force  and  for  Officers 
and  Powers  derived  from  humane  Laws,  concerning 
which  the  Scripture  is  utterly  filent. 

If  fuch  Perfons  as  thefe  could  but  be  perfwaded  for 
a  Moment  to  look  off  from  their  beloved  fecular  Inte- 
reft,  and  to  hear  what  we  have  to  fay  upon  this  Head, 
probably  they  might  emerge  into    better  Sentiments. 
Come  then,  all  fuch  of  you  as  have  hitherto  pleaded  for 
Weapons  which  are  not  chriftian  and  fpiritual,  but  carnal 
and   worldly,   thd*   ?nighty   thro9   Satan  for  the  pulling 
down  of  all  iuch  as  confcientioufly  diflike  and  oppofe 
your  vain  unfcriptural  Imaginations  \  Come,  I  fry,  and 
let  us  reafon  a  little  with  Calmnefs  upon  the  Head  be- 
fore us.     You  fay  then,  that  you  would  have  afupre?ne 
Judicatory  for  the  final  JJfuing  of  Caufes,  with  a  deci- 
live  ungainfayable  Power  for  that  Purpofe  I    Very  well. 
To  this  it  may  be  anfwered,  why  may  not  a  particular 
Church  be  this  Judicatory  ?  For  indeed  the  new  Tefta- 
•   ?nt  has  not  appointed  any  other.  Whereas,  according 
to  your  Opinion,  we  mail  be  at  a  Lois  forever  where 
to  find  the  Judicatory,  which  you  want  and  for  which 
you  ib  zealoudy  plead :    For,  from  a  Congyzgaiion^cnd 
"Chfifis,  you  muft  go  to  a  Provincial  Synod :  And  where 
next  ?   Then  to  a  National  Synod:  And  what  will'  you 

do 


Congregational  Churches.  23 

do  then  ?  Afterwards  you  muft  go  to  a  general  (ecu- 
menical Council  %  by  which  Means  your  Caufe  will  be 
unreafonably  protracted,  nor  in  all  Probability  ever, 
come  to  a  final  Decifion. 

You  will  perhaps  think  it  enow  to  reply,  that,  nn- 
lefs  there  be  fated  Judicatories  for  the  hearing  of '  Caufes, 
we  fhall  be  continually  at  Uncertainties  and  never  know 
in  our  Difficulties  what  fhall  be  done  :  But  it  is  a  fuffi- 
cient  Anfwer  to  this  to  fay,  that  particular  Churches  are 
fuch  ftanding  Judicatories,  not  of  humane  Appointment. 
but  of  Divine,  which  always  are  or  mould  be  ready  to. 
hear  and  to  give  Judgment  in  Cafes  that  properly  come 
before  them  :  Whereas  Synods  and  other  Judicatories,  if 
they  had  the  Supreme  Power  lodged  in  their  Hands, 
would  not  always  be  ready  to  confider  nor  yet  to  deter- 
mine, but  would  be  both  long  in  meeting  and  tedious  in 
determining  the  Affairs  which  come  before  them. 

And,  in  fine,  I  would  add,  in  Anfwer  to  any  other 
Objection  that  may  remain  or  may  poffibly  be  raifed  or 
drawn  from  the  Advantage  of  fuch  a  Supreme  Judicatory 
as  is  fuppofed  to  have  fat  at  Jerufalem  :  Firft  of  all, 
That  it  is  very  probable,  that  fuch  a  Sanhedrim,  as  the 
Friends  of  it  fuppofe  to  be  derived  down  from  Moses 
in  an  uninterrupted  Succeffion  to  the  Fourth  Century 
after  Jesus  Christ,  tho'  fome  fay  not  fo  late,  is  a 
mere  Rabbinical  Chimera  that  never  had  any  real  Exiftence  :■ 
For  the  Scriptures  never  any  where  exprefsly  mention, 
it:  Nor  yet  does  Joseph  us  or  Philo  or  any  other 
well  acquainted  with  the  Jewifh  Government  ever  fpeak 
of  it  in  fuch  a  Manner  as  is  ufual  on  thefe  Occafions  : 
There  are  indeed  fome  PafTages  in  the  Gofpels,  which 
give  us  Reafon  to  think  that  there  was  a  Sanhedrim  to- 
wards the  latter  End  of  the  Jewifh  State  :  But  the  pro- 
Found  Silence  of  the  'Times  foregoing  is  a  ftrong  Argument 
for  not  admitting  any  fuch  Thing  before  the  Babylomfh 
Captivity  :  So  that  the  Proofs  of  fuch  a  Supreme  Judi- 
catory to  be  Divinely  inflituted  and  as  fuch  fubrnifiively 
regarded  may  well  be  queftioned  by  us  j  and  therefore 

the 


24  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

the  Argument,  drawn  from  the  fame,  may  as  to  us  be 
considered  as  inconclufive  and  frivolous. 

But,  if  it  mould  be  granted  you,  that  there  was  foeh 

a  Sanhedrim  at  Jerufalem,  in  every  Refpecl:  according 
to  your  Imagination  -,  yet  we  may  fafely  affirm*  that, 
in  thofe  particular  Churches  inftituted  by  our  SAVIOUR 
and  conforming  to  His  Directions,  we  have  much  the  Ad- 
vantage of  the  Jews  in  that  Judicatory  :  For  now,  praifed 
be  God  our  Saviour,  Churches,  wherein  the  Supreme 
Power  upon  Earth  is  lodged,  are  many  :  So  that  Chriftians 
may  have  the  Advantage  of  that  Power  with  confide^ 
rable  Eqfe  and  Convenience  :  It  would  therefore  be  very 
ilrange,  if  they  were  not  duely  apprehenfive  of  the  glo- 
rious Privilege  enjoyed  by  them,  and  thankful  to  God 
their  Saviour  for  the  Enjoyment  of  it- 

Thus  I  have  in  a  general  Way  pleaded  for  the  Li-* 
berty  of  thefe  Churches  and  mewed  that  they  are  not 
fubjecl:  to  any  Judicatories  nor  ought  to  be  fubject  to 
any  :  And,  upon  the  whole,  I  am  free  to  declare,  that, 
fuppofmg  ever  fo  many  Convocations  or  Synods  or  even 
General  Councils  were  called,  they  would  have  no  Jurif- 
diction  at  all  over  thefe  or  any  other  particular  or  Con- 
gregational Churches  :  For  the  great  Head  of  the  Church 
never  gave  them  any  fuch  Jurifditlion,  nor  is  it  in  their 
Power  to  prove  that  they  have  derived  any  fuch  Jurif- 
diction  from  Him:  Even  that  worthy  Prefbyterian 
Mr.  Ru therfurd  himfelf  profeffes,  that  he  '  cannot 
4  fee  what  Power  of  Jurifditlion  to  cenfiire  Scandals  can 
4  be  in  a  General  Council ',  and  he  adds,   *  there  may  be 

*  fome  ?nerely  Dotlrinal  Power  if  fuch  a  Council  could  be 

*  had,  and  that  is  all  ?  id).  Surely  then  no  lejfer  Judica- 
tories can  boaft  of  any  more  Power :  So  that,  after  all,, 
the  Power  of  Jurifditlion  muft  be  placed  where  it  pro- 
perly belongs,  to  wit,  in  particular  Churches  of  Divine 
Inftitution,  where  our  Saviour  and  Lord  has  placed 
it.     For,  as  Dr.  P'ulk  obferves  in  his  Anfwer  to  the 

Rhemiftss 


(d)  Ruiltrfurd\  due  Right  of  Presbyteries*  p.  48^ 


Congregational  Churches.  25 

Rhemifts,  Chap.  III.  p.  381.  The  Keys  of  the  Kingdom 
cf  Heaven,  whatever  they  are,  are  given  to  the  whole 
Church,  as  all  the  ancient  Doclors  agreable  to  the  Scrip- 
lures  do  confefs. 

Thefe  particular  Churches  we  judge  to  be  the  firft: 
proper  Subjecl  of  all  Ecclefiafikal  Offices ,  Gifts  and  Powers 
according  to  Christ's  Inftitution  and  the  Primitive 
Pattern :  For,  when  the  Apoftles  had  founded  many 
Churches  in  fmall  Provinces  and  appointed  ordinary  Offi- 
cers in  them  to  adminifter  Christ's  Ordinances  to  all 
the  Church ;  we  find,  that  thefe  Churches  refpeclively 
met  together  in  the  fame  Place  to  impart  the  various  Spi- 
ritual Gifts  with  which  they  were  furnifhed  and  to  dif- 
charge  the  Duties  required  of  them  :  Nor  can  any  Thing 
be  more  plain  than  this,  that  the  various  Gifts  imparted 
to  one  particular  Church  and  another  by  the  Holy 
Sp  1  r  1  t,  and  the  various  Offices  fuflained  in  them  were 
to  profit  withal,  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks,  or  for  the  Good 
cf  the  Hive,  as  his  Greek  figniiies  :  And  it  muft  be  con- 
fefTed,  for  it  is  as  clear  as  the  Light,  that  the  feveral 
Duties  enjoyned  upon  partiadar  Churches  in  the  Apoftoli- 
cal  Writings  are  fuch  both  in  their  Nature  and  the 
Manner  of  complying  with  them  that  they  cannot  be 
faithfully  attended  and  obferved  but  in  particular 
Chrijlian  Societies  or  Churches :  So  that  we  may  well 
form  this  Conclufion,  that  it  is  the  common  Privilege  of 
all  other  particular  Churches  to  have  various  Gifts  im- 
parted, to  have  thefe  Gifts  exercifed,  to  have  Offices 
difpofed  of,  and  Chrijlian  Duties  performed  for  them. 

But,  having  thus  faid,  that  according  to  Christ's 
inftitution  and  the  Primitive  Pattern  we  judge  particu- 
lar Churches  to  be  the  firft  Proper  Subjecl  of  all  Ecclefi- 
afikal Offices,  Gifts  and  Pozvers  ;  I  cannot  but  think  it 
proper  to  introduce  a  PaiTage  of  the  eminent  Mr. 
Claude,  who  thought  it  the  belt  Way  cf  maintaining 
the  Reformation,  in  his  Defence  of  it,  to  efpoufe  thefe 
Sentiments  and  exprefs  them,  as  follows  % 

-.  -  &L Austin 


26  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

"Austin  proved  to  the  Donatifts,  that  their  Prin- 

"  ciple  was  falfe ;  and  it  is  worth  the  while  to  obferve 

"  the  Method  which  he  took  to  convince  them  of  the 

"  Falfity  of  their  Opinions. — —  He  had  Recourfe  to 

"  the  Body  of  the  Church,  and  faid,  that  the  Sacraments 

"  were  not  the  Sacraments  of  the  Bijhops  or  Pallors  \ 

u  that  the  Power  of  the  Keys  did  not  belong  to  them,  nor 

"  the  Power  of  Binding  and  Looting,  nor  the  other 

"  Acts  of  the  Miniftry  or  Epifcopal  Office;  but  that 

*£  all  thefe  Things  did  belong  to  the  Church :  So  that  it  is 

<c  the   Church  that    baptizeth,   when    the  Bifhops  or 

"  Pallors  baptize  3  it  is  the  Church  that  bindeth,  when 

"  the  Pallors  bind,  it  is  She  that  loofeth,  v/hen  the 

"  Pallors  loofe:  And  Jesus  Christ   gave  all  thefe 

€C  Things  to  the  Church.     But  what  did  Austin  un- 

"  derfland  by  the  Church  ?    Even  the  faithful  People 

5C  wherever  they  are,    the  Wheat  of  GOD,    the  good 

M  Grain,  the  good  Fijhes,  as  He  calls  them,  in  one  Word, 

"  the  Saints,  true  Believers :  It  was  from  this  Source 

"  that  He  derived  the  Validity  of  the  Sacraments  and 

fi;  other  Functions  of  the  Epifcopacy,  and  not  fro?n  the 

"  Paftors.     And  I  fay  the  fame  Thing.      Whatever 

"  the  Bifhops  or  Paftors  do,  They  do  it  in  the  Name 

"  of  the  Church,  and  confequently  in  the   Name  of 

"Jesus  Christ  •,  for  the  Na?ne   of  CHRIST  is  in 

<c  the  Church.     It  is  the  Church  that  preaches  by  them, 

V  the  Church   adminillers    the  Sacraments  by  them, 

"  governs  by  them,  cenfures,  fufpends,  abfolves  or  ex- 

"  communicates  by  them  :  The  Bifhops  or  Pallors  are' 

"  her  Miniflers  and  the  Difpenfators  of  her  Rights". 

It  is  very  probable,  that  this  Quotation  may  found  a 
little  too  Democratical  in  the  Ears  of  fome  genuine  Pro- 
teftants :  But  there  will  be  no  Danger  at  all  of  our  being 
the  worfe  Proteflants  for  taking  it  into  our  ferious  Con- 
fideration.  And  befides,  we  may  well  think  ferioufly 
upon  it,  efpecially  confidering,  that  Father  Paul  ofFe- 
vice,  in  his  Treatiie  of  Beneficiary  Matters,  is  fo  ingenuous 
as  both  to  affirm  that  in  tbc  Beginning  the  Government 


Congregational  Churches.  2* 

of  the  Church  had  altogether  a  Democratical  Form,  and 
to  give  a  punctual  and  obfervable  Account  alfo  how  it 
came  by  Degrees  to  be  altered. 

But  how,  will  you  fay,  came  particular  Churches 
who  are  the  firft  Subjecl  of  Ecclefiaftkal  Offices,  Gifts 
and  Powers  to  be  deprived  of  them,  in  fuch  a  Scandalous 
Manner  as  they  are  in  the  greateft  Part  of  the  Chriitiai 
World  I  And,  alas !  it  mud  be  declared  from  the  bed 
Writers  that  this  has  come  to  pafs  thro'  the  Negligence  of 
the  Churches  and  the  Ambition  of  their  Pafiors:  Thefe  were 
the  fatal  Caufes,  why  defigning  Men,  regardlefs  of  the 
plain  and  obvious  Senfe  of  the  Apoftolical  Writiigs 
have  gone  afide  from  the  Simplicity  of  them,  and  advanced 
their  own  Power  upon  the  Ruins  of  thole  Churches 
which  they  have  impioufly  fubverted :  And  hence  the 
Obfervation  of  Aqjjinas,  with  reference  to  the  Ti?ne0 
when  Bifiops  became  endowed  with  worldly  Honours  and 
Offices,  with  great  temporal  Powers  and  Pcfleffions, 
may  hold  good  with  regard  to  the  Time  when  the  Peo- 
ple grew  utterly  negligent  of  the  Privileges  belonging 
to  them,  "Then  arofe  the  Race  of  the  Giants  in  the  Church, 
and  then  raifed  the  Proud  Tower  of  Babel  (e)  :  For,  from 
that  Time,  Metropolitan  Cities  were  by  Degrees 'raifed 
to  be  the  Seats  of  Metropolitan  Minifters :  And  fo,  ac- 
cording to  the  Preeminence,  Note  and  Superior  Power 
of  Places  in  the  Roman  Empire,  the  Order  to  be  obferved 
among  Churches  was  to  be  conftituted  i  Thus  at  lenath,' 
from  the  Divifion  of  the  Commonwealth  and  the  Civil 
Diftricts,  the  Political  Divifion  of  the  Churches  into 
'Diocejfes  and  Provinces  obtained  and  was  fixed  and  eflab* 
lifhed,  as  feveral  learned  Men  have  obfeiVd  and  provM, 
and  particularly  the  learned  Justellus  (f).— —  And 

E  2  there 

(e)  £x  tunc,  txorti    funt   in    Ecclefm  Ggantes,  in   magms  it 
muahilibui  fuprafe  ambulant cs,  qui  potius    videntur  fie&s 
vel  Mavchionei  quam  Epifcopi ,-_  Et  ideo  nan  viirum,  Ji  p&r 
Eos  Erigatur  Siatua  Babyloms  et  tetrena  Gipftas  dUatciur* 
T.  Jquin.  iq  Gen.  VI. 

(f)  Jujlol  J.  Gt  jn  Not.  a4  Cod,  Canon,  p.  *« 


2  8  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

there  is  a  great  deal  of  Truth  in  the  honeft  Declaration 
of  Father  Paul:  He  having  faid,  that  the  laft  Refolu- 
iion  of  Ecclefiafticai  Matters  in  the  more  early  Times 
was  in  the  General  Congregation  of  the  Churchy  and  that 
this  Form  was  JIM  on  Foot  in  the  Tear  Two  Hundred  and 
Fifty ',  for  which  He  appeals  to  Cyprian's  Epiftles ; 
He  then  proceeds  to  declare  as  follows,  "  The  Good- 
"  nefs  and  Charity  of  the  BiJJoops  made  their  Opinion 
ct  for  the  moil  Part  to  be  followed  and  by  little  and 
"  little  was  the  Caufe  that  the  Churchy  Charity  waxing 
cc  coll,  not  regarding  the  Charge  laid  upon  them  by 
"  CHRIST,  did  leave  the  Care  to  the  Bijhop :  And 
w  Ambitions,  a  witty  Paflion,  which  doth  infinuate  itfelf 
<c  in  the  Shew  of  Vertue,  did  caufe  it  to  be  readily 
"  embraced.  But  the  principal  Caufe  of  the  Change 
"  was  the  ceafing  of  Ferfecution :  For  then  the  Bijhop 
"  did  erecl  as  it  were,  a  Tribunal  which  was  much  fre- 
u  quented  •,  becaufe,  as  Temporal  Commodities ^  fo  Suits 
cc  did  encreafe.- — -  Then  the  Tribunal  of  the  Bijhop 
66  began  to  be  a  common  Pleading- Place,  having  Exe- 
"  cution  by  the  Miniftry  of  the  Magiftrate,  and  to  gain 
"  the  Name  of  Epifcopal  Jurijdiolion  and  Audience, 
cc  &css  (g).  And  perhaps,  as  the  learned  Mr.  Abbot 
Fleury  has  obferved  in  his  Difcourfe s  on  Ecclefiaflical 
Hifiory,  GOD  has  permitted  thefe  Diforders  in  his  Church 
to  inftrucl  Men  from  their  own  Experience  Jlriclly  to  follow 
His  Precepts  and  not  to  endeavour  to  maintain  His  Relu 
gion  by  the  Maxims  of  Worldly  Policy. 

I  have  obferved  already  concerning  fome  Circumftan- 
ces  in  the  JVcrJhip  of  GOD  and  the  Government  of  par- 
ticular Churches,  that  natural  Light  and  Chriftian  Pru- 
dence, according  to  the  general  Rules  of  GOD*s  Word, 
may  regulate  them  :  And  therefore  it  feems  to  arife 
from  a  captious  and  quarrelfome  Humour,  when  any 
cry  out  upon  us,  where  is  your  pofitive  Commands,  pro- 
duce your  exprefs  Lijlitution  for  this  Practice   and   the 

other 


(g)  Hifiory  of  toe  Council  of  Trent,  p.  3  Ji.' 


Congregational  Churches.  29 

ether  Cuftpm  in  your  Churches :  For  in  fuch  Things  the 
Light  of  Nature  is  fufficient  to  direct  and  guide  us  •,  and 
the  Obligation  of  Churchts,  as  well  as  particular  Perfons, 
to  conform  to  this  is  fuch,  that  it  would  be  impertinent 
and  ufelefs,  if  not  pernicious,  to  make  -permanent  Ad- 
ditions :  If  therefore  any  Churches,  inftead  of  conform- 
ing to  their  natural  Light  in  fuch  Things,  mould  invent 
fundry  odd  Modes  and  Rites  of  their  own,  and  require 
canonical  Conformity  to  them,  without  fhewing  the  Ten- 
dency and  ZJjdfidnefs  of  them  towards  our  Edification  and 
proving  the  Neceffity  of  obferving  them  with  Relation 
to  the  Duties  which  they  are  invented  to  fubferve  •,  I 
am  fure,  that  neither  the  Word  of  GOD  nor  Chrifiian 
Prudence  will  jufiify  them  in  finding  out  and  impofmg 
fuch  odd  Inventions 9  nor  any  Chrifiian  in  fubmitting 
unto  them :  And  I  may  not  fear  to  afTert,  that  a  great 
Part  of  thofe  Diforders,  which  have  arifen  in  the  Chri- 
ihan  World,  have  bin  occasioned  by  ufurping  a  Legifla- 
tive  Power  ever  the  Churches  in  fuch  trifling  OddnefTes. 
I  could  mufter  an  Army  of  Proteftant  Authors  who 
are  of  the  fame  Mind,  if  there  were  Occafion  :  But  I 
mail  content  my  felf  with  reciting  fome  PafTages  out  of 
a  few  of  them  only.  The  good  and  worthy  ConfefTor 
and  Martyr  John  Huss  faid  unto  his  Bohemians  con- 
cerning many  of  the  Things  which  the  Priefts  and  Prelates 
of  his  Day  called  Order,  that  they  produced  all  manner 
of  Confufion  among  Chriflians :  Multa,  fays  He,  quz 
illi  Ordinem  dicunt,  omnium  Rerum  in  Chriftianijimo 
Confiijionem  pariunt.  The  learned  Wh  i  t  a  k  e  r  urges 
to  Bellarmine,  What !  were  the  old  Figures  taken 
away  thai  there  might  be  Room  for  new  ones  ?  Were 
thofe  that  were  Divine  taken  away  that  fuch  as  are  hu- 
mane might  fucceed  them  (a)  ?  And  the  Magdeburgenfian 
Centuriators  teach  us,  that,  while  indifferent  Tiring s  are 
left  free,  we  may  lawfully,  ufe  them  ;  but,  when  they 
are  impcfedy  for  the  maintaining  of  our  Liberty  we  fbould 

with- 


it)  l^bitaksr.Conu  BcUarmin.Tom.zXoni.  4.9.  7.  C  3.  p.  73  7' 


; 

30  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

withftand  and  oppofe  them{c).      Calvin  maintains, 
that,  as  no  Doclrine,  fo  no  facred  Sign,  Jhould  be  admitted 
among  the  Pious  unlefs  it  appear  to  come  from  GOD  (o). 
Luther  is  free  to  affirm,  that  all  humane  Ceremonies 
have  two  Properties  of  the  Devil,  Lying  and  Murther- 
ing(r).     Beza  goes  fo  far  as  to  call   fuch  Inventions 
the  Enfigns  of  the  Priefts  of  Baal  (s).     Zanchv   was 
not  afraid  to  tell  Queen  Elizabeth,  who  was  more 
fond  of  Shew  and  Pomp  in  the  Worfhip  of  God  than 
real  Devotion  and  the  trueft  Lovers  of  it,  that  all  thefe 
Pomps  and  Popijh  Ceremonies  are  nothing  elfe  but  whormY 
Paintings,  invented  and  devifed  to  the    End  that  Men 
might  be  enticed  by    them   to  fpiritual    Fornication  (u). 
Nay  even  Dr.  Morton    fcruples  not   to   fay,  that 
Ritual  Traditions,  which  pertain  to  Order  and  the  Rites 
of  Divine  Worfhip,  are  to  be  received  only  fo  far  as 
they  claJJj  not  with  Truth  and  Piety,  Simplicity  and  Chrif- 
tian  Liberty  {z).     And  I  will  add  fome  weighty  Para- 
ges from  the  great  and  generoufly  good  Mr.  Howe, 
who,  in  mewing  The  Carnality  of  Religious  Contentions^ 
fays,  that,    the  lefs  Things  are,  the  greater  the  Sin  in 
making  them  neceffary,  and  Chriftians  of  one  Coynmunion 
and  other  [to  wit,  that  are  fond  of  their  own  Inven- 
tions] do  in  Effect  fay,  if  you  will  not  take  Chrifiianiiy 
with  thefe  Additions  of  ours,  you  fhall  not  be  Chriftians, 
you  fhall  have  no    Chriftian   Ordinances,    no    Chriftian 
IVorfJjip  :  We  will,  as  far  as  in  us  is,  exclude  you  from 
Heaven  itfelf  and  all  the  Means  of  Salvation  :  And  he 
cites  a  remarkable  Paffage  of  the  Emperor  Maximi- 
lian the  Second  to  a  certain  Prelate,  namely,  That 
there  was  no  Sin,    no   Tyranny  more  grievous  than   to 
affell  Dominion  over    Men's  Confciences,  and  they  who 

do 


(c)  Magdeburg.  Centuriat.  Cent.  \>  Cap.  4.  Col.  85, 

(o)  Calvi-n.  Harmon.  Evangel,  in  Match.  XXI.  2.5. 

(')   Luther,  Tom.  4.  Fol.   5?r. 

(-)  Bcza  in  Epift.  8.  ad  Gmidal  p.  no. 

(uj  Zar.cJiii  Epift.ad  Regin.  Elizabethan.  FoJ,  244* 

\z)  Morton.  Apolog.  Par.  if,  L  1.  C  42.  p.  *l$> 


Congregational  Churches.  qr 

do  fo  go  about  to  invade  the  Tower  of  Heaven:  And  it 
may  well  be  accounted  a  Remarkable  Saying,  as  coming 
from  fo  great  a  Prince,  who  lived  and  expired  in  the 
Romifh  Communion.  Nor  may  I  omit  the  Remark 
of  the  warm  and  zealous  Dr.  Heidan,  that  it  has 
bin  owing  to  the  Labour  of  Erasmus  and  Cassander, 
[and  I  may  add  of  Grot  i  us  ;  for  he  followed  and 
vindicated  them]  that,  alt  ho9  they  wijh  feme  fmaller 
Things  might  be  reformed,  neverthelefs  feme  of  the  chief 
Defecls  of  the  Romifh  Church  are  concealed  or  lightly 
touched  by  them :  Hence,  fays  he,  it  is  come  to  pafs,  that 
in  feme  Churches,  and  in  the  Englifh  Church  it  especially 
appears  very  evident,  while  they  have  reformed  their 
Dotlrine,  they  have  not  at  the  jame  Time  amended  their ' 
Order-,  but  ft  ill  continue  a  Government  in  feme  Meafure 
like  that  among  the  Papifts  (&}. 

But,  to  return,  altho'  fome  Circumftances  of  Worfhip 
and  Government  may  be  regulated  by  natural  Light  as 
I  have  bin  faying,  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Churches,  and 
for  this  Reafon  the  Apoflle  Paul  frequently  appeals 
unto  it  in  Things  belonging  to  the  Order  of  the  Churches ; 
neverthelefs  we  are  fatisfied,  that  the  Ecclefiaftical  State, 
of  which  I  have  bin  treating,  is  a  Divine  Inftitution : 
For  fo  it  appears  to  be  from  its  Nature  and  Tendency, 
from  its  peculiar  Relation  to  our  great  SAVIOUR,  from 
the  great  Glory  refulting  to  GOD  by  an  accurate  Confor- 
mity to  it,  and  from  thofe  peculiar  Duties  and fpiritztal 
and  holy  Methods  of  Worfhip  appointed  in  it. 

If  then  the  Rules  of  CHRIST  be  obferved,  and  Chrifli- 
ans  will  but  exercife  their  Reafon  and  common  Prudence 

in 


(&)  Erafmi  &  Cafiandri  PonJJimum  Labor  qui  dum  hviora. 
quad  am  reformat!  optant,  pr&cpitoi  Ecclejis  Rom,  Nxvot 
dijjmulant  ant  tranjiluint  :  Unde  &  fattum  in  quibufdam 
Ecclefiis,  ut  i?i  Anglicana  pr.-iftrtim patet,  non  fimul  cum  Re- 
formations Doftrin.z,  Ordoimmutatus  efi;  fed  H.  crate  hi  a  fif* 
Eptfcopatus,  quads  in  Papain  ex  Parte  ccrnittir,  r  stent  a  fix:. 
D  Abraham.  Heidan  Failto  Difputar.  Thsologie-  d?  Sbci- 
nianifoiQ*  p«  to* 


22  A  Difcourfe  concerning 

in  conforming  to  thofe  Rules ;  that  is,  in  other  Words, 
if  we  are  but  Men  and   Christians,  if  we  will  but  be 

governed  by  Reafon  and  the  Revelation  of  Christ's 
Churches ,  which  mine  with  intaminated  Honours  from 
the  Light  that  they  have  borrowed  from  the  two  great 
Luminaries  of  the  Church  and  the  World,  Reafon  and 
Revelation. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  that,  under  the  Light  and  vital 
Heat  of  thefe  glorious  Luminaries,  the  Churches,  that 
have  hitherto  bin  as  it  were  under  thofe  Clods  of  the 
Valley,  their  heavy  and  earthly  Priefts,  will  e'er  long 
arife  out  of  the  Earth  and  blojfcm  in  a  fair  Profefllon 
of  Chriftianity  and  abound  in  all  the  Fruits  of  Right  eouf* 
nefs  under  a  Rational  and  Scriptural  Order. 

But,  if  other  Churches  love  to  continue  in  a  dege- 
nerate and  corrupt  State  and  hate  to  he  reformed-,  God 
forbid,  that  the  Churches  of  NEW-ENGLAND  mould 
ever  return  to  their  miferable  Condition :  Thefe  Churches 
have  come  out  from  among  them  ;  but  it  is  to  be  wifhed 
and  prayed,  that  they  may  never  forget  the  Goodnefs 
of  GOD  in  bringing  them  out,  nor  fail  to  anfwer  the 
gracious  Intentions  of  our  ftrong  REDEEMER  in  fo 
doing. 

Let  thefe  Churches  then  be  careful,  left  Ignorance, 
Negligence,  Sloth  and  Wickednefs  fhould  prove  their  Ruin^ 
as  they  have  bin  the  Ruin  of  other  Churches :  Let 
them  never  blindly  refign  themfelves  to  the  Direction  of 
iheix  Minifters ;  but  confider  themfelves,  as  Men,  as 
Chriftians,  as  Proteftants,  obliged  to  judge  and  acl  for 
thenif elves  in  all  the  weighty  Concernments  of  Religion : 
Bleffed  be  God,  that  our  Churches  have  hitherto  ma- 
nifefted  themfelves  worthy  of  this  Privilege  :  And  may 
they  (till  continue  fo !  Nor  let  it  ever  be  faid  to  our 
Reproach,  as  it  mufi  be  if  ever  it  be  faid  at  all,  that 
we  were  poffeffed  of  all  thofe  invaluable  Privileges,  which 
particular  Churches  by  Reafon  and  Christ's  Ap- 
pointment can  claim,  but  were  either  unacquainted  with 
fchem,  or  negligent  in  the  Improvement  of  them,  or  by 

mr 


Congregational  Churches!  33 

tar  Sin  and  Impiety  have  forfeited  and  loft  them  :  For,  if 
ever  this  mould  be  laid,  it  mufl  at  the  fame  Time  be 
proclaimed,  that  the  Glory  is  departed  from  NEW- 
ENGLAND. 

Several  Things  have  bin  publifhed  by  our  eminent 
Predeceffors,  of  whom  the  World  was  not  worthy^  in 
order  to  ihew  thefe  Churches  their  Liberties  and  fire 
their  Souls  with  a  becoming  Affection  and  Zeal  for 
them:  But  moft  of  thofe  Compofures  are  not  known 
among  us :  Inafmuch  therefore  as  I  have  the  fime  fin- 
cere  Regard  for  the  beft  Interefts  of  thefe  Churches  ;  I 
could  not  but  think  it  my  Duty  to  produce  my  Senti- 
ments concerning  the  Privileges  of  thefe  Churches, 
which  I  know  to  be  conformable  to  thofe  of  my  ever 
honoured  PredecefFors  and  Fathers  in  many  of  their 
printed  Treatifes  and  Mamfcripts,  and  to  publijb  them 
for  the  Benefit  of  thefe  Churches,  that  fo  they  might 
know  themfelves  and  learn  to  pity  and  pray  for  their  Bre- 
thren^ who  are  groaning  under  National  Eftablifhments 
and  long  to  be  reftored  to  our  Liberties :  And,  that 
fo  our  Churches  may  by  the  Divine  Bleffing  be  reftored 
to  their  former  Glory  ^  I  have  thought  it  proper  to  trie 
my  beft  Endeavours  for  the  reforming  of  particular 
Churches  by  fetting  their  diftinguifhing  Liberties  before 
them  and  fiber iy  apologizing  for  them. 

But,  to  conclude  this  Prelace  or  Introduction  to  the 
particular  Difcourfes  which  follow,  I  would  make  one 
Gbfervation?  which  may  not  be  omitted  without  a  ma- 
nifeft  Injury  to  thefe  Churches :  3Tis  this,  that  altho* 
thefe  Churches,  apprehending  the  Congregational  Way 
to  be  eflablillied  on  the  Dictates  of  Reafon  and  by  the 
Authority  of  the  great  King  and  Head  of  the  Chare':- ? 
jthe rcfore  prefer  it  before  any  other  \  neverthelefi  they 
have  great  Charity  arid  Efteern  tor  thofe,  who,  being 
unacquainted  with  this  Way,  cannot  therefore  approve 
of  it:  It  is  indeed  a  Grief  to  our  Churches,  that  there 
are  fober  and  hontft  Perfons  in  other  Commun;  1  . . 
who  are  fo  ftrangclv  preDolTeOed,  not  to  fay  prejudiced, 

F  by 


34  -A  Difcourfe  concerning 

by  Interefi  or  Education  againft  thofe  that  are  of  the 
Congregational  Perfuafwn,  that  they  are  ready  to  braad 
them   with   the  opprobrious   Names  of  Schifmaticks, 

Enthtfiafts  and  what  not. But  we  have  not  fo  learned 

CHRIST1:  For,  altho'  we  prefer  the  Conftitution  of 
thefe  Churches  before  any  other  •,  ftill  we  think  it  our 
Duty  to  love,  and  Jhew  our  AffeElion  to  all  good  and  well 
difpofed  People  of  whatever  Communion  or  religioui* 
Profeflion  they  may  be,  to  fpeak  well  and  handfbmely 
concerning  them  and  ferve  them  to  the  uttermoft  of 
our  Power :  Nor  indeed  have  we  any  Scruple  about 
admitting  any  pious  Baptift^  Prejbyterian  or  Epifcopalian 
into  our  Communion :  Not  only  our  Houfes  and  Hearts^ 
but  our  Churches  alfo  are  open  to  them,  as  foon  as  in  a 
Judgment  of  Charity  we  have  Reafon  to  think  them 
to  be  Perfons  of  goodUnderftanding>  Pkty  and  Vertue, 


TCa@aKBS»^(^Ka^B^B?SCBOfSQBO 


The 


f!3iK-BS^M^ffiO^90^MroEeffiCBB 


(35) 

The  diJUnguiJhing  ^Privileges  of 

the  Churches  in  New  England 
maintained. 


TH  E  Nature,  Grounds  and  Reafons,  Antiquity 
and  Advantages  of  Congregational  Churches 
have  in  the  preceeding  Difcourfe  bin  briefly, 
but     [  hope,  honeftly  and  faithfully  reprefented  ;  and 
a  fliort,  tho*  I  think  fufficient,   Anfwer  has  been  pro- 
duced to  fuch  Objections  as  are  ufually  offered  againff: 
the  Way  of  thefe  Chiirches.     What  I  now  propofe  is, 
more  particularly  to  ft  ate,  affert  and  vindicate  the  diftin- 
vuifhin?  Liberties  of  thefe  Churches  from  Scripture  and 
Reafon  and    the  approved  Records   of  pure  Antiquity  : 
And    as  there  are  fome  later  Writers,  who  have  either 
inadvertently  or  from   the  conftraining  Power  of  truth 
bore  their  Teftimony  to  the  Religious  Privileges  claim- 
ed by  our  Churches,  I  have  tho't  it  my  Duty  to  con- 
fult  thefe  Writers  and  make  the  beft  Ufe   of  them 
that  I  could  on  this  Qccafion, 

Chap^ 


Chapter  I. 

The  Right  of  thefe  Churches  to  chafe 
their  own  Minifiers  and  other  Officers 
aflerted  and  vindicated. 

PRopofmg  thus  to  apologize  for  the  diftinguiming 
Privileges  of  thefe  Churches  ;  I  begin  with  the 

Power  and  Liberty  of  chufing  their  own  Officers :  A 
Power  and  Liberty,  of  which  they  have  bin  long  pof- 
fefled,  and  to  the  Enjoyment  of  which  they  have  a 
Satisfactory  and  valid  Title, 

In  order  to  know  what  Methods  and  Rules  our 
blefledLoRD  and  Saviour  would  have  to  be  ob- 
ferved  by  His  Churches  \  we  mud  obferve  the  Conduct 
and  confidi  the  Writings  of  His  Apojlles,  the  Prime 
Minifiers  of  His  Spiritual  Kingdom,  v/ho  were  perfect- 
ly acquainted  with  His  Mind,  who  fteadily  conformed 
unto  it,  and  in  their  Writings  have  clearly  revealed  it : 
For  it  is  thro3  their  Word,  that  we  are  to  believe  and 
judge  and  act  in  Ecclefiaflical  Affairs*. 

If  therefore  in  their  TDays$  without  their  difcountt* 
naming  luck  a  Practice,  the  Churches  elected  their  0&n 
Officers  •,  the  Churches  have  the  fame  Power  and  Right 
ftill  and  ought  to  exercife  the  fame :  But  this  Matter  of 
Fact  ihall  be  rendred  mamfeft  and  inconteftible,  that 
the  Churches  in  the  Days  of  the  Apoftles  chofe  their  own 
Officers :  And,  when  this  is  made  out,  methinks  there 
can  be  no  Difficulty  in  allowing  the  Conclufion  which  is 
drawn  from  it. 

Nov/  any  one,  that  has  Eyes  and  will  fee%  may  be- 
hold in  the  firft  Chapter  of  the  Afti  of  the  Apoftles 
that  the  Church  were  mi  excluded  even  in  the  Choke  of 


(37) 

m  Apoftle,  who  was  to  fupply  the  Place  from  which 
Judas  by  Tranfgreffioii  fell :  For,  altho*  an  Apoftle 
was  an  extraordinary  Officer,  fo  that  if  the  People  had 
not  bin  concerned  in  the  Eleblion  of  fuch  an  Officer,  pro- 
bably they  would  have  bin  fatisfied ;  yet  it  is  very 
clear,  that  the  Church  appointed  two,  out  of  which  one 
was  to  be  chofen  to  fupply  the  Place  of  Judas  ;  and 
it  is  equally  clear,  that,  when  the  Lot  fell  upon  Mat- 
thias, he  was  by  the  Siffrage  of  the  Church  chofen 
into  the  Number  of  the  Apoftles :  For,  altho*  to  ferve  a 
bafe  Defign  it  was  on  Purpofe  tranflated  in  our  Verlion, 
at  Verfe  the  Twenty  Jixth  of  that  Chapter,  he  was  num* 
bred  with  the  Apoftles ;  neverthelefs  all,  that  underftand 
any  Thing  of  the  Greek,  muft  needs  know  the  Trudi 
of  what  the  beft  Criticks  inform  us,  namely,  that  Mat- 
thias was  chofen  by  all  the  Votes  into  the  Number  of 
the  Apoftles  (a). 

And  what  can  our  modern  boafted  SuccefTors  from 
the  Apoftles  fay  to  this  ?  Here  was  an  Officer,  an  ex- 
traordinary Officer,  who  received  his  Calling  and  extra- 
ordinary Authority  from  Jesus  Christ  Himself 
immediately  •,  and  yet  the  Church,  in  the  Prefence  of 
the  Apoftles,  firft  appointed  two  Perfons,  and  then  by 
their  common  Confent  and  Suffrage  approved  the  Perfon 
whofe  Lot  it  was  to  be  chofen  by  them !  Truely  they 
might  as  well  refift  the  Light  of  Euclid's  Elements 
as  the  Light  which  appears  in  this  Matter;  and,  if  it 
were  as  much  for  their  Inter  eft  s%  it  is  very  probable  that 
they  would  do  fo. 

But  furely,  from  this  celebrated  Inftance,  Chriftians 
have  now  fufficient  lnftruclion  and  Authority  to  chufe 
their  own  Officers :  For,  if  the  People  had  a  confidcrable 
Hand  in  the  Choice  of  an  Apoftle,  certainly  their  Right 
to  chufe  ordinary  Officers  cannot  well  be  difputed  ;  and, 
if  in  the  Prefence  of  the  Apoftles,  the  People  elected  ons 
into  their  Number,  nor  were  excluded  from  this  Li- 
berty, 


W  SYNKATt<«iW;3@H,  fc§,  QmnhmWwlu&W™* 


(38) 

berty,  nor  yet  abridged  in  it  by  the  prefent  Apoftles, 
it  would  now  be  a  bold  Attempt  in  any  to  deprive  them 
of  their  Liberty  to  chufe  their  ordinary  Officers :  I  fay,  a 
bold  Attempt  •,  becaufe  all  fuch  as  would  deprive  the 
People  of  GOD  of  their  Liberty  to  chufe  their  own 
Officers,  and  by  the  Exclufion  of  them  would  take  this 
Power  into  their  own  Hands,  are  very  affirming  and 
arrogate  to  themfeives  more  than  the  Apoftles  of 
Ch  r  i  s  t  ,  whofe  Power  over  the  Church  was  doubtlefs 
extraordinary. 

This,  it  muft  be  confeffed,  was  a  remarkable  In- 
ftance  and  Proof  of  it,  that  the  Apoftles  were  true  and 
hearty  Friends  to  the  Liberties  of  their  Chriftian  Bre- 
thren :  But  this  is  not  the  only  Inftance,  wherein  we 
find  them  to  have  bin  fo  :  For,  when  Deacons  were  to 
be  appointed,  they  were  far  from  taking  that  Affair 
into  their  own  Hands  •,  but,  as  we  read  in  Act.  VI. 
and  2,  they  called  the  whole  Multitude  unto  them  and 
advifed  them  to  look  out  fev'en  Men  who  might  be  fit  for 
that  Bufinefs :  And  upon  this  it  follows,  that  the  Saying 
plerfed  the  whole  Multitude,  and  accordingly  they  chofe 
<0;v/rPerfons,  whofe  Names  are  afterwards  mentioned: 
And,  having  proceeded  thus  far,  they  then  fet  the  Dea- 
cons elecled  before  the  Apoftles,  who,  when  they  had 
prayed,  laid  their  Hands  upon  them. 

And,  that  the  Apoftles  continued  to  be  Favourers  of 
the  Peopled  Right  to  chufe  their  Officers,  may  further 
be  argued  from  A  dr.  XIV.  23,  where  we  read  of  the 
Apoftles  Paul  and  Barnabas  ordaining  Elders  in 
every  Church :  For,  whereas  our  Verfion  to  ferve  a 
Favourite  Turn  renders  it  only  ordained,  it  is  certain 
that  the  Word  fignifies  an  Election  or  a  lifting  up  of 
Hands  (c)  in  every  Church  accompanying  it,  as  every 
one  tk;\t  has  but  a  fmall  Acquaintance  with  the  Greek 
cannot  but  be  fenfible.  So  that,  altho'  we  can  readily 
r,  dw  the  Truth  of  what  the  learned  Du  Pin  ohferves, 

namely^ 


(39) 

namely,  that,  after*  the  Death  of  thofe  who  had  bin  or- 
dained by  the  Apoflles,  the  People  eletled  (o)  %  yet  we  mufi 
further  infift,  that  before  the  Death  of  the  Apoflles  and 
in  their  Prefence  the  People  elected. 

We  fee  then,  that  thefe  Churches  have  the  Authority 
of  the  Apoflles  to  countenance  them  in  the  Choice  of 
their  Officers :  If  therefore  the  Apoflles  themfelves  would 
not  nominate  and  conftitute  Officers  in  the  Churches,  but 
it  was  their  Right  according  to  Christ's  Will  to 
chufe  their  own  Officers  ;  it  muft  flill  be  the  Right  and 
Liberty  of  the  Churches  to  elecl  their  Officers:  Well 
therefore  may  we  fay  with  Chrysostom  (p),  So  is 
was  then,  h.  e.  in  the  Days  of  the  Apoflles,  and  Jo  it 
aught  to  be  now. 

But,  altho'  thefe  Scriptural  Teftimonies  are  enow 
to  convince  us,  that,  as  we  are  in  the  rightful  Pofjejfwn 
of  this  Liberty,  we  ought  by  all  Means  to  keep  it,  nor 
to  let  it  go  upon  any  Account  or  Pretence  whatfoever  ; 
there  are  however  various  Reafons  befides,  which  will 
ferve  to  betray  the  Folly  and  Stupidity  of  thofe  Peo- 
ple, that  can  tamely  bear  to  be  kept  out  of  this  Liberty, 
and  at  the  fame  Time  to  confirm  thefe  Churches  in  their 
Refolutions  not  to  part  with  it. 

For  it  is  certainly  much  more  juft  and  honeft,  much 
more  fit  and  fafe,  that  the  Officers  of  the  Church  fhould 
be  chofen  by  the  People,  than  it  can  be  to  have  them 
nominated  and  appointed  by  any  one  Bifiop ;  becaufe  a 
Bifhop  may  with  much  more  Eafe  be  deceived  and  cor- 
rupted than  an  whole  Church,  and  may  be  very  apt 
to  abufe  his  arrogated  Power :  And  it  is  entirely  rea- 
fonable,  that  the  Church  fhould  chufe  thofe  that  are  to 
be  fet  over  them  in  the  LORD,  left  other  wife  ignorant, 
dronifh,  wicked  and  contemptible  Officers  ftjould  be  thrit^ 
and  impofed  upon  them  :  And  it  is  furthermore  meet  y 
becaufe  there  is  no  Likelihood  of  it,  that  the  People  1,  HI 

love: 


— 


(o)  Du  Pin,  Biblioth.  Tom.  I,  prop,  ad  Fid. 
(P)  QhryfoJlonU  ia  A&  VL  u 


C4°) 

love  and  revere,  hear  with  fp'mtual  Profit  and  fubmit 
with  Delight  to  fetch  Perfons  as  are  thruft  upon  them'~*>a- 
gainft  their  Inclinations :  And,  moreover,  there  is  all 
the  Reafon  in  the  World,  that  Men  fhould  have  the  fame 
Liberty  in  Religious  Refpecls  as  they  have  in  Civil :  Men 
can  chufe  their  Friends,  their  Lawyers,  their  Phyficians  : 
And  can  there  be  any  good  Reafon  affigned,  why  they 
fhould  be  hindred  from  the  Exercife  of  the  like  Liberty  in 
Spiritual  Regards  ¥  Truely  no !  They  ought  to  have 
equal  religious  Liberty  -,  nor  ought  they  to  be  refirained 
in  the  Exercife  of  a  Liberty  fo  reafonable,  as  this  of 
chufing  their  own  Ecclefeaftical  Officers,  upon  the  Choice 
of  which  their  everlafting  Welfare  fo  nearly  depends. 

Befides ;  The  Remarks  of  the  famous  Calder- 
wood  are  worthy  to  be  taken  into  our  Confideration. 
Now  He  remarks  in  one  Place,  that  common  Senfe 
teaches  us,  that  a  Bifhop  is  not  to  be  thruft  upon  an  un- 
willing People,  left  the  unwilling  People  fhould  either  de- 
fpife  or  hate  their  undefired  Bifhop  (a) : — And,  in  another 
Place,  He  lays,  that  the  whole  Church  ought  to  be  con- 
cerned  about  the  Means  of  Salvation  {b),  of  which  the 
Miniftry  is  one. —  And  though,  writes  He,  Popes  have 
rob'd  the  Churches  of  this  Liberty  •,  [to  wit,  of  chufing 
their  own  Miniilers]  yet  Emyerors  and  Princes  fhould 
not  affume  this  to  themfelves,  but,  as  Nurfeng  Fathers  to 
the  Church,  if  indeed  they  would  be  glad  to  bear  that 
Charatler,  ihcy  fhould  reft  ore  this  Liberty  to  the  Chur- 
ches (c). — And  He  remarks,  that  Experience  with  a  loud 
■.'proclaims^  that  Churches  are  more  or  lefs fiourifhing 

as 


(a)  Invitis  Eccl'fiis  -non  ohttudendum  communis  Senfus  doctt* 
ne  Piebs  invita  Epifcopum  non  optatum  aut  comemnat  aut 
odeiir,  &c.      Didoctev.  Altar.  Damafcen.  p.   J3*« 

(b) '  Navi  de  omnibus  Mediis  Salutjs  folliata  efle  debet  :  Debet 
^igo  eligere  Paftorein  uaum  ex  mille.      Ejulcl.    Aut.   &  Lib. 

F*   S32- 

(c)  Non  >yna  Tons' fees  He  Ubtttate [pl'uvunt  Ecckfm,  earn  ftt 
z)en^lch)''0lluetvni  Impactions  &Vt  incites,  fed  ut  Ntttritii  Mvorati 
EccM&i  ft  qujdem  his  Elogiis  gaudenl,  'Ecdefus  reftitueie* 
Ejuft;  Auth.  &  JLitui*  ?a^  ^*   ' 


(41    ) 

as  their  Election  is  With  more  or  lefs  Freedom  enjoyed  (ct)* 
And,  to  theie  Remarks  of  one  famous  Pcrfon,  I  may- 
add  the  Obfervations  of  another,  Grot  i us,  as  I  find 
rhem  fcattered  up  and  down  in  his  Book  de  Imperioi 
In  one  Place  He  lays,  That  Election  is  rightly  made  by 
the  Church  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature :  For  it  is 
naturally  allowed  to  every  Society  to  procure  thofe  'Things 
that  are  neceffary  for  its  Confervation  t,  in  the  Number  of 
which  Things  is  the  Bifpoffition  of  Offices.  Thus  many 
Traders  to  Sea  have  the  Right  of  chuffing  the  Governor  of 
their  Ship  *,  thus  Travellers  may  chufe  the  Guide  of  their 
Journey,  and  a  free  People  may  chufe  their  King  if).  In 
anodier  Place,  He  afTerts,  It  is  altogether  certain  that  in 
the  ancient  Church  after  the  Apoftolic  Age,  tbo*  the  Peo- 
ple could  rightfully  chufe  their  own  Paftors,  yet  they  did. 
not  always  and  every  where  improve  and  exercife  their 
Right  (f).  And,  to  cite  no  farther,  in  another  Place 
He  obferves,  that  even  in  later  Ages  the  Right  of  chuffing 
their  Paftors  was  often  allowed  to  the  People  alone :  It  is 
fo  plain  and  open,  fays  He,  that  1  need  not  take  Notice  of 
it  (g).— Nor  may  I  omit  the  kind  Allowance  of  the  in- 
genious and  fubtle  Crellius:  For,  altho'  he,  with 
his  Brethren,  is  for  having  the  Civil  Magiftrate  to  ap- 
point Officers!  over  the  Churches,  yet  He  thinks  it 
ought  to  be  obferved,  that  Officers  fkould  not  be  com- 
mitted to  any  without  the  Ctmfent  of  the  whole  Church  : 

G  Who- 


(d)  Experientia  ipfa  ehta  Voce  clamat  maqis  aut  minus  florentei 
ejfe  Ecclefi.it,  prout  magis  aut  m,nus  libeia  Eltcl'io*  In  Pag.  ead. 
iijttfd.  Lib.  &  Author. 

(e)  Ab  Ecctefia  EleSionem  rt8e  fieri  probitur  ex  Jure  natural}* 
N.*,m  naturaluer  Cestui  unittfifue  Permitiitur  eaprocware,  %ace  ad 
Canfoygtwmm  fin  funl  necrjf.via  ;  in  quo  numcrocjl  FunSior.um  Jp- 

pl'iQatiO.  It  a  vtSorcx  multi  Jus  hibent  e'rigendi  G  uhernatoTcrn  Navti 
fie,  vidtom  Itinera  Ducem,  Populist  liber  Regem.  Grot,  de  Imp. 
Sum.   Poreft.    p,  t'}$ 

(f)  Omnino  certMm  eft  in  vettre  Ecdejla  poft  Apoftchnim  /Extern, 
vfi  Jure  potuit  Plebt  Vajloret  fuot  deligeie,  non  id  tamen  fimptr  ac 
vbique  obfawiium  — »  fijufd.  Amh    &  cib    p.  260 

(g)  Scd  &  Jus  Prforet  Eligtndi  -~&&pe  [olu  Laicit  concejfum, 
ifvjmtjt  qiiam  u%  fam  diktat.    Ej^id,  Anifc  &  Libit,  p.  a&?. 


C4*  ) 

Whoever  therefore,  foys  He,  it  may  he,  that  has  the  Choice 
or  Nomination  of  Perfons  to  thefe  Ecclefiaftical  Offices ; 
yet  it  ought  to  be  allowed  to  all  in  the  Church,  that  if  they 
know  any  juft  Objection  againft  the  Election,  they  may 
bring  it  in  proper  Time  and  Place.  And  there  will  be 
Reafonfor  it,  if  they  can  not  only  objetl  fome  Crime,  againft 
them,  but  alfo  prove  fuch  a  Crime  as  ought  defervedly  to 
take  him  off  from  his  Office.  This  is  clearly  to  be  found 
in  that  Canon,  wherein  it  is  prefcribed,  that  fuch  as  are  to 
le  chofen  mould  be  blamelefs.  Now  how  can  this  be 
known,  unlefs  Enquiry  be  made  and  all  have  the  Liberty 
of  bringing  what  they  know  concerning  fuch  a  Matter. — ■ 
And  truely  fuch  an  Eleclion  conftituted  in  a  Church  as  does 
not  have  this  Liberty  may  lawfully  be  reproved  and  ac- 
counted vicious  {h). 

Now  what  is  there  of  Weight  to  be  produced  againft 
fuch  Confiderations  as  thefe  ?  It  would  be  impertinent 
to  talk  of  an  immediate  Call  from  GOD  to  Ecclefiaftical 
Offices :  For  fuch  a  Call  is  not  now  to  be  expected  : 
And  yet  it  would  be  very  abfurd  to  think  of  officiating 
in  any  Church  without  any  Call  or  Invitation  at  all :  For 
none  may  aflume  fuch  Honours  to  themfelves  but  fuch 
as  are  called  of  GOB. 

If  then  any  fhould  argue  for  others,  that  they  Ihould 
nominate  and  appoint  Officers  over  the  Churches,  and  not 
the  Churches  themfelves :  This  is  what  we  perempto- 
rily deny :  For  we  cannot  find,  that  GOD  our  SAVI- 
OUR has  given  fuch  Power  to  any  Men,  who  are  not  of 
a  particular  Church,  to  appoint  Officers  in  and  over  it. 
Nor  can  we  by  any  Means  allow,  that  a  Niwiber  of 
Men  of  any  particular  Church,  in  Exclufion  of  the  Mul- 
titude of  their  Brethren,  fhould  conftitute  Officers  in  that 
particular  Church  :  For  we  apprehend,  that,  in  Things 

which 


(h)  Iiaqut  quifquis  tandem  fit,  qui  eligat  aut  nominet  Eos—* 
femper  permitti  debet  omnibus  in  Ecclefuiy  Sec.  Et  fane  qua  Eleftio 
in  Ecclefiajam  conftituta  talent  Libcrtatem  non  rclinquit  ilia  jure 
uptebendt  &  vitwfa  cenferi  po(eJt%  Qsll%  Eihic.  Chiiftian.  L« 
IV.  Cap.  XXXI.  p.  Si*. 


(43  ) 

which  concern  the  whole  Church,  all  the  Church  Jkould  be 
interefted -,  unlefs  it  can  be  made  to  appear,  that  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church  has  empowered  fome  only  to  act  in  the 
Matter  :  Now  we  know  and  are  allured,  that  our  blejfed 
SAVIOUR  has  not  committed  to  any  particular  Perfons 
of  whatfoever  Age  or  Quality  the  Power  of  chufing 
Officers  for  the  whole  Church :  Nor  has  He  indulged 
the  Churches  with  the  Liberty  of  delegating  their  Power 
to  fome  of  their  Number  to  chufe  for  them  :  For  no 
Part  of  that  Power  which  ejfentially  belongs  to  the 
Churches  as  fuch  can  be  delegated  ;  but  every  Part  of 
fuch  Power  muft  be  exercifed  by  the  whole  Churches. 
And  therefore  this  Power  of  chufing,  as  it  belongs  to 
the  Churches  ejfentially  confidered,  muft  be  atled  by  the 
Bodies  of  particular  Churches. 

There  are  fome,  who  are  almoft  ready  to  concede  to 
thefe  Things  •,  but  yet  they  are  for  excluding  the  People 
from  the  Election  of  Ecclefiaitical  Officers,  on  the  ac- 
count of  their  Incapacity  and  unfitnefs  to  form  a  rio-ht 
Judgment  concerning  Perfons  and  to  chufe  wifely*  I 
remember  Sixtus  Sinensis  was  of  this  Mind  ;  for, 
altho'  he  acknowledges,  that  both  in  the  Times  of  the 
Apoftles  and  of  Pope  LEO  the  People  chofe  their  Bijhops  ; 
yet,  he  adds  (/),  that  it  was  eafy  for  the  Multitude  of 
the  Faithful  to  do  this  then  •,  for  the  People  were  then 
grave,  moderate  and  concerned  for  the  public  Benefit  \  — . 
But  now,  continues  He,  the  People  is  a  Beaft  of  many 
Heads,  always  intent  upon  Fatlions  and  Seditions :  So  that, 
if  they  had  this  Liberty,  it  would  produce  the  greateft 
Difturbance  in  the  Church:  And  Dr.  Thomas  Bur- 
net, Mafter  of  the  Charter  Houfe,  fpeaks  to  the  fame 
Purpofe  %  for  He  fays,  that  Eletlions  (r),  as  well  as  the 
Manner  of  Difcipline,  were  formerly  more  popular,  which 
infenfibly  to  avoid  Confufion  devolved  upon  thofe  who  pre- 
fided  over  the  Church. 

G  2  But 

(i)  Sixtus  Senenf.  Biblioth.   San#,  L.  V.  P.  ^66. 

(r)  Burnt,  de  Fide  &  Qfticiis  Ghriftianofuai.  Cap.  I£. 


C44) 

But -it  is  a  fufficient  Anfwer  to  a41  that  can  be  fiid 
to  this  Effect,  that  the  People-  by  our  great  Lawgiver-; 
and  His  Apoitles  are  entrujled  with  this  Privilege,  and 
therefore,  for  any  to  fay  that  they  are  not  meet  for  this 
privilege  nor  capable  of  dif charging  fuch  a  Trufl,  it  mult  I 
reflect  up w  the  holy  Apoftles,  and  even  upon  the  Wifdovi 
cf  our  great  SAVIOUR.  And,  if  it  mould  be  granted," 
mat  the  People  may  grow  factious  and  troublefome  in 
their  Elections,  and  Confufions  fhould  arife  by  Means 
of  them  j  what  then?  All,  that  this  proves,  is,  that 
Churches  may  degenerate  •,  and  who  denies  that  ?  But 
fuch  Degeneracy  in  them  is  to  be  lamented  and  reformed  ♦, 
and  the  People  jlould  fill  pofjefs  and  enjoy  their  Privi- 
lege of  chufing  their  Officers.  Even  Bzovius  the  Jefui'tc 
was  of  this  Mind,  and  he  gives  three  Reafons  why  it 
fhould  be  fo  j  namely,  that  fo  no  Paftor  viay  be  fet 
ever  fuch  as  are  unwilling  to  have  him  over  themy  that 
fo  the  Paftor  may  be  loved  by  his  Sheep,  and  that  fo  there 
may  be  as  it  were  a  Spiritual  Marriage  contracted  be- 
tween them  by  the  Covfent  of  both. 

The  Sum  of  what  has  bin  faid  is,  that,  both  from 
Scriptural  Authority  and  Examples  and  from  the  Reafons  ' 
off  the  'Thing,  Churches  f/:xuld  chufe  their  own  Officers , 
and  that  the  Objections   againft  their  Enjoyment   of  this 
Liberty  are  cf  no  Force  and  Validity. 

And,  if  we  fearch   the   Archives  of  Antiquity,   we  - 
fhall  find,  that  the  Primitive  Churches  were  in  PofTeiTi- 
on  of  this  Liberty,  which  thro'  the  Divine  Goodnefs  ' 
thefe  Churches  enjoy. 

It  appears  from  Clement's  fifft  Epiftle  to  the 
Corinthians,  a  valuable  and  undifputed  Remain  of  An- 
tiquity, that  Bifiops  and  Deacons  were  conilituted  by  •■ 
the  Lonfent  and  Agreement  or  good  Liking  of  the  Church  (t)\ 
that  the  Apoftles  themfelves  appointed  qualified  Perfons 
to  the  Minifteriai  Office  with  the  Choice  of  the  whole 
Church,  and  indeed  that  they  were  not  thought  lawfully 

called 


(  )  vid.  CUmeni.  Epift.  I.  ad  Corinth 


(45) 

catted  or  chofen  to  their  Offices,  nor  might  reafonably 
challenge  any  Refpett  or  Subjeclion  from  the  People,  unlefs 
the  whole  Church  concurred  in  the  Election  of  them. 

It  is  plain  from  an  Epiftle  of  Ignatius  written  to 
the  Fraternity  of  the  Church,  that  he  judged  it  becoming 
for  them  to  chufe  their  own  Bijhop  (t) :  For  you  muit 
know,  that,  however  defpifed  the  Fraternity  may  be 
by  fome  who  are  very  fanguine  in  their  Appeals  to 
Antiquity,  yet  all  the  genuine  Epiftles  of  Ignatius, 
except. one  to  Polycarp,  are  direcled  to  the  Brethren  : 
And  this  efpecially  is  fo,  wherein  it  is  faid  to  be  becom- 
ing for  them  as  a  Church  of  GOD  to  chufe  or  appoint  a, 
Bijhop. 

It  is 'not  to  be  doubted,  but  that  Or  i  gen  was  of 
the  fame  Opinion  •,  for  he,  writing  concerning  the  Cities 
of  GOD ',  even  the  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
concerning  the  Rulers  of  them,  affirms  that  they  are  to 
be-  chofen  (r)  to  their  Office  by  the  Churches  which  they 
rule.  \ 

Eusebius  declares,  that  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord 
236, 'all  the  Faithful  (u)  in  Rome  itfelf  did  meet  toge-- 
ther  in  one  Place  to  chufe  another  Bifiop  in  the  Room  of 
Antprus  :  And  he  fays,  that  Alexander,  Bifhop 
ol.Jerufalefn  was  chofen  in  this  Manner,  and  then  pre- 
fented  to. the  Neighbouring  Bifhops  tor  their  Appro-" 
bation  (u). 

Cyprian  a  little  while  after  teflifies  to  this  Right', 
of  the  People,  faying,  that  they  have  the  Power  of  chufing 
their  own  Minifters  (w)  over  and  over  again  ;  as  every 
one  knows,  that  has  ever  confulted  his  Writings :  And 
he  -acknowledges,  that  he  was  promoted  Bifhop,  Populi 
yniverfi  Sujfragio,  by  the  Suffrage  of  the  People  (w). 

The 


— — 


(()  Ignat.  Epift.  ad  Pbiladelph. 

(r)  Orgen.  com   Ceif.  lib.  ulc.  ad  Fin. 

(u)  Evfebu  J.  VI.  cap.  22.  (u)  Eufeh.  1.  VI.  c.  ii. 

(w)  Ipfa  [Plebs]  maxime  hahct  Potcjlztem  eligendi  (Hgnos 
Sacadotcs,  &c.  Cypria*.  Epift.  4.  vid.  etiam  in  Epift.  68.  & 
in  aliis  Uocis.  fw)  Cypi an,  Ep.  55. 


C40 

The  firft  and  moft  famous  general  Council  of  Nice, 
writing  a  Synodal  Epiftle  to  the  African  Churches  to 
warn  them  againft  Arianifm,  exhorts  them  to  chufe  or- 
thodox Bijhops  in  the  Room  of  the  Deceafed,  provided  they 
he  worthy  — :  From  which  it  mould  feem,  they  thought 
the  Eletlion  of  the  People  fo  neceffary,  that  real  Merit 
was  not  fufficient  to  make  and  conftitute  a  Bifhop  with- 
out their  free  Election  of  him. 

And  that,  in  ancient  Times  a  Confpiracy  of  Bifhops 
could  not  choufe  the  People  out  of  this  their  Right, 
we  have  a  remarkable  Inftance  to  produce  :  For  Mar- 
tin, ufually  called  Saint  Martin,  a  little  after  Con- 
stantino, was  made  Bifhop  of  Turon  in  France  by 
the  People's  Eletlion  and  Confent,  notwithftanding  all  the 
Oppofition  that  the  Bijhops  could  make  againft  his 
Election  and  Settlement  among  them :  And  Abbot 
Fleury,  in  his  Difcourfes  on  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory, 
rightly  obferves,  that  in  thofe  Times  fo  great  a  Regard 
was  had  to  the  People's  Confent,  that,  if  they  refufed  to 
receive  [a  Bifhop  or  Minifter]  after  he  was  ordained, 
they  were  not  forced  to  have  him,  but  had  another  who 
was  more  agr cable  to  them. 

Posidonius  in  the  Life  of  Austin  fays,  That 
that  Father  was  of  the  Opinion  that  ( x)  in  ordaining 
Priejls  and  Clerks  the  Confent  of  the  Majority  of  Chrifti- 
am  and  the  Cuftom  of  the  Church  jhould  be  followed. 

In  the  Council  at  Orleance  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord, 
540,  this  Rule  was  laid  down,  that  he  is  to  be  chofen  by 
all  who  is  to  be  fet  over  all  (y)  :  So  that  then  the  Chur- 
ches were  not  lb  big  but  that  all  the  People  might  join 
in  chufing  their  Bifhop. 

And  Bellarmin  himfelf  confeffes,  that  it  was  the 
Cuftom  in  the  Time  of  CHRTSOSTOM,  AMBROSE, 
AUSTIN,  LEO  and  GREGORY  for  the  People  to  be 

eon- 


(%)  Auguitinus  in  ordinandi:  Sacetdotes  et  Clericis  Conftn'um  ma° 
joremCbrifitanomm  et  Confuetudinem  Ecclefa  [ecpifjidam  Qifritrabatw. 
Pofidov,  i;i  Vic.  Juguflin.  Cap.  XXI. 

(yj  Cano.  $.  de  oidinand.  Epifcop* 


(47  ) 

concerned  in  the  Choice  of  their  Bifhop  (z).  And  fome 
ofthePapifts  even  go  higher :  For  Lorinus,  Sal- 
me ron  and  Sanctius,  writing  upon  Act.  XIV.  23. 
acknowlege,  that  it  was  the  Primitive  and  Apoftolk 
Practice  for  the  People  to  chufe  their  own  Minifters. 

There  are  feveral  Chronologers  and  Hiftorians  who 
relate  concerning  Felix  the  Fourth^  that  afcended  the 
Papal  Chair  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  525,  that  he 
firft  of  all  by  a  Law  feparated  the  Clergy  from  the 
People,  while  Divine  Service  was  performing  in  the 
Churches;  and  Boniface  the  Second  did  the  lame 
after  him  :  And  the  fame  Thing  was  decreed  and  con- 
firmed afterwards  by  fucceeding  Popes  and  Synods : 
Now  the  very  learned  Hospinian  obferves,  that 
this  was  done  by  them  for  two  Reafons,  in  the  firft 
Place,  that  at  length  they  might  deprive  the  People  of 
their  Voices,  their  Suffrages  and  their  Places  in  the  E- 
letlion  of  their  Bifhops  -,  and,  in  the  next  Place,  that  fo 
no  one  might  be  allowed  in  any  Civil  or  Criminal  Caufe 
to  call  a  Bifijop  or  any  Clergyman  before  a  Secular 
Judge  (p). 

Nay  it  feems  to  have  bin  the  Cuftom  of  the  Churches 
to  be  concerned  in  the  Choice  of  their  Minifters  for  near 
Thirteen  Hundred  Years  together :  For  the  Emperor 
Frederic  the  Second,  who  deceafed  in  the  Year 
1250,  is  thought  to  be  the  firft ,  that  was  for  excluding 
the  Laity  from  the  Election  of  their  Officers  :  But,  that 
until  then  the  People  had  their  Suffrages,  appears  from 
the  Decretal  Epiftles  of  GREGORY  the  Ninth  (q).  'Tis 
true  Hildebrand  began  to  fet  up  the  Power  of 
his  Cardinals ;  but  even  he  denied  not  the  Clergy  and 
the  People  their  Votes  in  Comitiis :  So  that  until  the 
Twelfth  Century,  it  cannot  be  difputed,  that  even  in 

Rome 

Tl  , 

(z)  BeUarmh.  1.  I.  cap.  IX.  de  Clericis. 
f  p)  Hofpman.  de  Origin.  Templor.  1.  2.  cap.  I.  p.  29. 
(q)  Cbamier.  de  Ecclefia.  Tom.  V.  o.  161.—  EU8J9  Clerics- 
rum  efi  Fetitio  Vlebu%    JDecret,  Par,  I.  Diftindt  6 2, 


(4?  ) 

Rome  itfelf  the  People  elected  their  Bifhop.  And 
Thuanus  informs  us  fb)»  that  in  585,  a  Popifh  Arch- 
bifhop  allowed  the  City  of  Magdeburg?  Jus  vocandi  ac 
conftituendi  Ecclefi  ?.  Miniftros?  ficut  ante  a  habebat  •?  that 
is,  their  former  Right  of  calling  and  appointing  their 
own  Minifters.  And  I  may  add,  that,  in  a  Gallican 
Council,  convened  in  1582,  there  was  a  Decree  pafTed 
to  this  Effect,  namely,  Thai  fo  there  may  be  a  better 
Provifwn  made  for  Cathedral  Churches  and  Monafterics 
than  there  has  bin?  especially  fence  Elections  have  bin  taken 
away?  we  befeech  and  urge  his  moft  Chriftian  Majefty 
by  the  Bowels  of  Divine  Mercy  and  the  Blood  of  CHRIST, 
that?  from  his  fingular  Piety  towards  GOD?  he  would? 
for  the  Divine  Glory  and  the  Good  of  the  Church?  as 
alfo  for  the  Freedom  of  his  own  Mind  from  the  greateft 
Scruple  and  the  Deliverance  of  his  Confcience  from  the 
greateft;  Tortures?  reftore  to  the  Church  the  Power  of  cha- 
fing fit  and  ufeful  Paftors(e). 

Now  it  is  very  evident  from  thefe  Teftimanies,  that 
in  the  Primitive  Times  the  Right  of  the  Churches  to  chufe 
their  own  Officers  was  acknowleged,  maintained  and 
exercifed  ;  and  that  this  was  one  of  the  laft  Things  which 
the  Enemy  of  the  beft  Inter  efts  of  Mankind  wickedly  ra- 
vifhed  from  them. 

Thus  then  we  have  Scripture?  Reafon  and  Equity?  the 
Nature  of  Churches  in  their  Infiitution  and  Ends?  and 
the  Practice  of  the  Church  in  the  firft  and  fome  fucceed- 
ing  Ages?  all  confpiring  to  confirm  this  Privilege  of  the 
Churches  to  chute  their  own  Officers :  Nor  can  we 
judge  any  otherwife,  but  that  the  Robbing  the  Churches 
of  this  Privilege  was  great  and  abominable  Sacrilege. 

But,  if  any  mould  lay,  that,  altho*  the  Right  of  chit- 
fing  and  calling  their  Minifters  be  in  the  People?,  yet  ek 
Faclo  in  many  Places,  and  even  Places  profiling  the 
Reformation,  they  are  deprived  of  this  Right  ?  and  how 

u 


^>)  Thua-n.  lib.  8$.  Pag.  8*. 

Qc)  BichcU,  ia  Deciei.  tcdef,  Gallic.  I  5,  Tit,  8.  e.  7. 


C  49  3 
is  This  come  to  pafs  ?  In  Anfwer  to  it,  left  I  mould 
exprefs  ,  myfelf  with  an  exceptionable  Vehemence,  I 
chufe  to  tranfcribe  the  Anfwer  of  the  very  learned 
Voet  to  that  Queftion,  Whether  the  Election  and  Cal- 
ling of  Minifters  be  in  the  Power  of  the  Church  ?  'Tk 
this.  By  Divine  Rights  fays  He,  This  Pczver  is  in  the 
Church.  That  any  where  This  is  either  wholly  or  in 
Part  given  to  Magiftrates,  Patrons,  thofe  who  are  ho- 
noured among  Men,  Bifhops,  Ediles  or  others ;  it  is  owing 
to  humane  Doings,  Ujurpations  and  Appointments:  If 
therefore  among  Proteftant  and  Reformed  Divines  you, 
read  of  any  fuch  Thing  ;  pray  think,  that  they  relate  the 
Cuflom  of  the  Place  and  the  Manner  there  tolerated, 
which  could  not  be  taken  away  •,  not  that  it  is  a  Divim 
Right  or  the  Doclrine  of  the  Reformed  or  the  Appoint- 
ment  of  Fathers  and  Councils  and  the  antient  Church  (/)  J 
And  I  would  take  Leave  to  add,  that,  as  the  Divimi 
Right  of  People's  chufmg  their  Minifters  has  bin  al- 
ready confirmed,  fo  from  Fathers  and  Councils  it  hag 
bin  fhewn  that  the  Primitive  Churches  poffeffed  and  exer* 
cifed  this  Right :  And  to  prove  that  this  is  the  Doctrine 
of  the  Reformed,  I  would  put  my  Reader  in  Mind, 
that  LuTriER,  both  in  his  Book  to  the  Bohemians  (ji) 
and  in  a  German  (o)  Tracl  afferted  and  maintained  this 
Principle;  and  not  only  Pie,  but  Calvin  (/),  Zep- 

PI  PER, 


(0  An  penes  Ecclefiam  ?    Id  jure    Divino.    Quod  ahcubi  \n 
otumant  ex  Parte  id  tribuitur  Mogifitatibns,  i'atronis,  Mono- 


&  moremifibic  toieratuvi,  tjui  iolli  vondum  fotuit :  non  Jus  Di- 
vinum  aut  DoHrinam  Reformat  am  aut  Pauum^  (Jwciliornm  '-Qf. 
antiquk  EcclefiA  Piac'uum.    Voet.  Par.  II.  i.  ill.  Trac.  I.  C.  1V\* 

(n)  Luther,  in  Lib.  de  inftituendis  Miniftris  ad  Bohemas. 

{o)  Luther,  in  Scripro  cui  Tic.  g^ioi  Ecci^U  Vjicftatem  f)fa 
lent  EPgendi  &  Deponendi  Miniftwt* 

Q)  Calvin.:Evii\'>  8&. 


(5o) 

per  (;»,)>  Baldvin  (fj,  the  Synod  of.Dort(d),  and 
the  Ley  den  Divines  (e)  have  held  and  maintained  the 
lame :  And  above  all,  the  renowned  Flaccius 
Illyricus  in  a  Trad  (/)  has  laborioufly  artd  learn- 
edly proved  this  Point  from  every  Argument  that  He 
could  mufter. 

From  the  whole  of  what  has  bin  offered,  I  would 
conclude  this  Chapter  by  faying,  that,  as  thefe  Churches 
are  in  the  rightful  PoJfeJJion  of  the  Power  and  Liberty  to 
chufe  their  own  Officers,  which  Power  and  Liberty  they 
have  recovered  from  the  Oppreffion  of  unreafonable 
Men,  while  many  Churches  which  are  reckoned  among 
the  Reformed  are  not  fo  happy  as  to  enjoy  it  •.  thefe 
Churches  would  do  well  to  keep  this  Power  and  Liberty  as 
the  Apple  of  their  Eye,  nor  fuffer  themfelves  to  be 
wrought  upon  fo  far  as  to  part  with  a  Privilege  of  fo 
much  Worth  and  Importance :  They  ought  indeed,  in 
the  Ufe  and  Exercife  of  their  Right,  to  confult  the  Edi- 
fication, Comfort  and  Satisfaction  of  their  Neighbours  : 
But,  confidering  their  rightful  Claim  to  the  Choice  of 
their  own  Officers  and  the  many  ill  Conferences  which 
will  follow  upon  their  receding  from  it ;  they  ought  not 
to  allow  any  to  deftroy  or  betray  this  their  valuable 
Liberty  :  And,  if  any  mould  facrilegioufy  attempt  to  rob 
them  of  this  Liberty  or  by  any  Means  to  hinder  them 
in  the  free  and  perfetl  Exercife  of  if,  they  would  be  very- 
much  in  the  Right  of  it  to  confider  them  among  their 
great  eft  Enemies. 


Chap-  II. 


(m)  Zepper.  Polit.  Ecciefiaft.  1.  *.  cap.  3. 
(c)  Baldvin.  lib.  Cafuum.  1.  4   cap.  5. 

(0)  Vide  Conftitution  Ecclet'. Synod.  National.  T)ord.  1578. 
(0  Synopfis  LeidenC  Frofeffor.  Difp  4>  Thef.  £K,  36. 
(0  Flaccius  lllyric.  in  Tract,  cui  Tit.  gitod  Eleclio  Epifco- 
fotvm  -non  ad  EcclefiaJUcos  folum,  fad  gf  ad  Laicos  (ut  vocant) 


Chapter  II. 

The  Right  of  thefe  Churches  to  ordain 
their  Minifters  dated  and  argued. 

THE  Defign  of  this  Chapter  is  not  to  deny,  that, 
in  Churches  which  are  furnifhed  with  Prefby- 
teries,  thofe  Prefbyteries  may  ufe  Impofition  of  Hands  and 
ordain :  For  this  is  what  is  readily  acknowledged  by 
thefe  Churches. 

Nothing  can  be  more  plain,  than  that  the  Church  is 
before  its  ordinary  Officers ;  I  lay  its  ordinary  Officers  : 
For  our  bleiTed  Lord  might,  as  He  actually  did,  or- 
dain Apoftles,  when  there  was  yet  no  Evangelical 
Church,  to  difciple  the  Nations  and  baptize  them  and 
gather  Churches  out  of  fuch  difcipled  and  baptized  Na- 
tions :  But  it  does  not  appear,  that  the  Apoftles  either 
did  or  could  ordain  any  ft  ate  d  Officers,  until  there  were 
Churches  formed  for  the  Reception  of  them  :  So  that 
we  judge  it  an  abfurd  and  extravagant  Thing,  and  the 
Whim  of  only  fome  Ecclefiaftical  Bon  S$uixofc[  to 
afcribe  the  Continuance  of  the  Church  to  the  fucceffive 
uninterrupted  Ordination  of  Officers :  Fors  if  there  were 
any  fuch  Thing  as  a  fucceffive  uninterrupted  Ordination 
of  Officers,  which  there  is  hardly  one  found  Proteftant 
that  can  believe  there  is  -,  flill  this  fucceffive  Ordination 
of  Officers  wholly  and  entirely  depends  upon  the  Conti- 
nuance of  the  Church,  and  muft  be  an  Atl  of  the  Church  ♦, 
and  therefore  it  can  never  be  a  Means  of  communicating 
Ecclefiaftical  Power  to  others,  without  which  there  would 
be  an  End  of  all  Ecclefiaftical  Power,  as  fome  fondly 
imagine  or  would  make  us  believe  that  they  imagine, — 
And  befldes  y  It  muft  be  not  only  a  vain  and  idle,  but 

H  2  an 


an  impious  Attempt,  to  derive  a  SucceJJion,  upon  which 
the  Being  of  a  Church  fhall  depend,  thro'  the  Prefence'  \ 
cf  CHRIST  with  the  Bijhops  cf  Rome,  who  for  an  hun- 
dred Tears  together ;  namely  from  the  Year  900  to  the 
Year  1000,  were  Monfiers  for  Ignorance,  Lujl,  Pride 
end  Luxury,  as  Baron  ius  himfelf  acknowledges, 
A.  D.  912.  5.  8. 

And  yet  there  are  here  and  there  fome  defective  Pro- 
tectants, who  are  fond  of  their  uninterrupted  Line  of 
Succejftcn.  But  we  may  fitly  enquire  of  them,  Why 
there  is  fuch  a  Thing  as  a  Degradation,  and  for  what 
Purpofe  it  is  pra&ifed  at  any  Time  among  them  ?  Cer- 
tainly you  will  all  allow,  that  they,  who  by  Schifm  are 
cut  off  from  the  Church,  mujl  alfo  be  cut  off  from  that 
Part  of  Apoftolical  Power  to  which  they  made  their 
Pretenfions ;  and  lb  it  cannot  be  indelibly  fixed  on 
them,  And  furely,  where  no  Part  of  the  Apoftolical 
Power  can  be  claimed,  there  can  be  no  SucceJJion  to  it. 
Now,  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  it  has  bin  proved  by 
Onuphrius  an  Hiftorian  of  their  own,  that  there 
have  bin  at  leaft  Thirty  Schifms,  by  feveral,  fometimes 
no  lefs  than  five  or  fix  at  once,  pretending  to  the  Pope- 
dom :  And  one  of  the  Schifms  lafted  more  than  Fifty 
Tears,  when  one  Pope  fat  at  Rome,  another  at  Avignon  : 
Nay  Bellarmine  is  obliged  to  acknowlege,  that* 
for  above  Eighty  Tears  together,  the  Church  for  want 
of  a  lawful  Pope  had  no  other  Head  than  what  was  in 
Heaven.  And,  if  Schifm  deftroys  the  SucceJJion  of  A- 
poftolical  Power,  certainly  damnable  Herefy,  Devilifni 
and  Atheifrn  will  alfo  do  it.  Now  what  can  be  faid  to 
the  Complaints  of  Baron i us  about  the  End  of  the 
Ninth  Century,  How  deformed,  fays  he,  was  the  Romifk. 
Church,  when  V/hores  no  lefs  powerful  than  vile  bore  the 
chief  Sway  at  Rome,  and  at  their  Pleafure  changed  Sees 
and  dpp'tiinted  Bifhops,  and  which  is  horrible  to  mention, 
did  thru  ft  their  own  Gallants  into  the  See  of  Saint  Peter, 
There  cannot  therefore  be  any  Thing  more  evi? 
dent  than  that  the  SucceJJion  has  failed',    tho'  indeed,  if 

« 


(S3  ) 

it  were  not  fo,  the  -  uninterrupted  SucceJJion  can  never  be 
proved.  " 

But  there  are  fome,  who,  tho'  they  could  never  End 
in  their  Hearts  to  believe  the  mad  Whim  of  Papal 
SucceJJion  and  a  JucceJJive  Ordination,  yet,  in  order  to 
eftablifh.  an  Ecclefiaftical  Jurifdiction  or  Government, 
are  for  giving  the  Power  oj  Ordination  into  the  Hands  of 
the  Bijhop  or  cf  a  Synod :  But  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that 
thefe  Churches  will  know  better  than  to  give  fiich  an 
inejlimable  Branch  of  Ecclefiaftical  Power  out  of  their  own 
Hands  into  the  Hands  of  others,  who  ought  not  to  have 
it,  and  who  in  the  PofTefTion  of  it  have  always  made 
the  word  Ufe  of  it. 

Thefe  Churches  are  far  from  difowning,  that,  when 
a  particular  Church  has  Elders  of  its  own,  thefe  Elders 
by  the  lmpofttion  of  Hands  may  ordain  fuch  other  Officers \ 
as  that  Church  may  fee  Caufe  to  elect :  But  our  Epif- 
copal  and  Prefiyterian  Brethren  Hill  infill  upon  it,  that 
Ordination  is  a  Part  of  Ecclefiaftical  Jurifdiclion,  Jo  be 
difpenfed,  by  the  Bijhop,  fay  the  former,  by  the  Elderjhip 
and  that  confociated,  fay  the  latter. 

It  is  evident,  nor  has  any  one  yet  bin  able  to  prove 
to  the  contrary,  that  Timothy  was  ordained  by  the 
Prejhytery,  not  by  any  particular  Bijhop  alone :  And, 
for  ought  that  yet  appears,  the  Prejhytery  which  laid 
Hands  upon  that  Evangelift,  might  be  the  Prejhytery 
of  a  particular  Church,  and  not  of  a  Synod  or  inferior 
Claffis :  Nay  it  is  very  probable,  that  it  was  the  Pref 
by tery  of  a  particular  Church :  For,  altho'  Paul  and 
Barnabas  were  Apoftles,  yet  they  were  not  ordained 
[that  is  to  fay,  if  they  were  ordained]  by  any  Clajfs  or 
Prejhyterial  Synod,  nor  yet  by  one  Jingle  Perfon:,  but 
by  the  Prejhytery  of  one  particular  Church,  namely  the 
Church  at  Antiocb. 

,  But  you  will  enquire,  it  is  very  likely,  how  it  ap- 
pears that  the  Elderjhip,  in  Aft.  XIII,  which  ordained 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  was  but  the  Prefoytery  of  one 
particular  Qongregation  ?    And  I  anfwer,   that  this  is 

plain 


C?4) 

plain  From  Act.  XIV.  27,  which  clearly  reprefents  to 
us,  that  the  Church  of  Antioch  was  not  fo  great  but 
that  it  could  ajfeniblc  in  one  Place ;  and,  that  the  whole 
Multitude  at  the  Return  of  Paul  and  Barnabas 
from  the  Synod  at  Jerufalem  met  together  to  hear  the 
Epiftle  which  that  Synod  had  feni  them,  this  is  very  ma- 
nifeft  from  Act.  XV.  30  and  31.  Now  therefore  the 
Conclufion  mult  be  this,  that,  the  Church  at  Antioch 
being  but  one  particular  Church,  the  Prejbytery,  by 
which  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  ordained,  could 
not  be  a  Sy nodical  Prejbytery,  but  the  Prejbytery  of  a 
particular  Church. 

There  is,  I  confefs,  a  confiderable  Noife  made  both 
by  our  Prefbyterian  and  Epifcopal  Brethren  about  the 
Epiftles  to  Timothy  and  Titus:  For,  while  the 
former  are  endeavouring  to  fupport  and  eftablijh  their 
beloved  Clajfes  and  Synods  from  Timothy's  Ordination  \ 
the  latter  continue  to  infill  upon  it,  that  thefe  Epiftles 
are  purely  Epifcopal :  But  the  belt  Conftruction,  which 
can  be  made  of  thofe  Epiftles  is  plainly  this  ;  to  wit, 
that  they  were  not  deftgned  for  thofe  Evangelifts  alone, 
nor  any  Minifters  alone,  but  for  a  State  that  was  mixed^ 
wherein  the  faid  Evangelifts,  having  fome  affifting  Pref 
bxiers  or  other  Officers,  adminiftred  and  executed  the 
Affairs  of  the  Chriftian  Society  with  the  Allowance,  Con-^ 
fent  and  good  Agreement  of  the  People  :  For,  altho*  the 
Epiftles  be  written  by  Name,  and  fay  efpecially,  to 
T 1  m othy  and  Titus;  (till  there  can  be  no  Queftion 
but  that  they  were  really  intended  for  general  Ufe  and 
Advantage:  And  this  is  what  we  may  "fairly  conclude 
from  the  Apoftle's  Wifh,  Grace  be  with  you,  Grace  be 
with  you  all,  which  doles  one  Epiftle  and  another : 
For  it  cannot  be  well  imagined,  that  thefe  Wifhes  are 
only  belonging  to  the  Evangelifts,  to  whom  the  Epiftles 
are'directed.  Why  then  mould  it  be  conceeded  to  our 
Brethren  of  the  Church  of  England,  that  the  Apoftle 
writes  his  three  Epiftles  to  two  Arch-Bifhops  or  Me- 
lfopoWdnf\  efpecially  when,  as  the  famous  Calder- 

wood 


a  55 ) 

wood  obferves,  there  is  not  fo  much  as  one  "Thing  infert* 
ed  in  them  that  can  properly  ferve  the  Arch- Bifhop  or 
Metropolitan?  For,  adds  he,  here  are  no  Apoftolical 
Monitions  about  convoking  Synods  of  Bifhops,  concerning 
Confecrations  of  Bifhops,  concerning  the  Correction  of  the 
DefecJs  and  Exceffes  of  Prelates,  and  receiving  Appeals 
from  Epifcopal  Confiftories ;  althtf  thefe,  according  to 
your  Hierarchical  Gentlemen,  are  the  chief  Offices  of 
Arch-Bifhops  (x). —  And  why  mould  we  allow  thole 
Things  to  be  found  in  thefe  Epiflles,  which  our  Pref 
byterian  Brethren  fondly  value,  when  no  fuch  Things 
are  in  thefe  Epiflles  ?  If  it  were  actually  declared  in 
them,  that  in  Crete  and  at  Ephefus  there  were  Prejby* 
teries  -,  yet  where  do  we  read  of  the  Powers  to  be  claimed, 
by  thefe  Prefby teries  or  the  Subjection  of  thefe  Prefby- 
teries  to  other  and  fuperior  Judicatories  ? 

As  to  thofe,  who  confidently  report,  that  Ordination- 
cannot  be  validly  and  lawfully  perfor?ned  but  by  a  Bifhop  3 
we  think  it  a  fufficient  Anfwer  to  fay,  that  we  find  the 
flrft  Mention  of  a  Bifhop  diftincl:  from  Prefbyters  to 
have  bin  about  Three  Hundred  Tears  after  our  Sa~ 
vi our:  And  this  is  no  more  than  what  many  of 
the  more  fober  and  confiderate  of  the  Epifcopalian 
Writers  are  free  to  acknowlege  :  And  we  conceive,  that 
even  then,  for  ought  that  the  Friends  of  Diocefan  Epif- 
copacy  have  bin  able  to  prove  to  the  contrary,  there 
was  no  Bifhop  who  had  any  Jurifdiclion  or  Authority  over 
other  Minifters,  but  who  in  common  with  other  Minifters 
ruled  and  governed  the  Churches  according  to  their  Con- 
lent  and  Agreement. 

But,  if  for  Argument's  fake  it  mould  be  allowed, 
that  the  Bifhop  was  a  diftincl  Order  from  the  Prejlyter  ; 
Hill  this  will  be  no  Demonft  ration,  that  the  Bifhop  alone 
has  the  Power  of  ordaining :  Flow  then  mall  we  be 
made  fenfible  of  it,  that  the  Bifhop  alone  fhould  bfive 
this  Power  #    Alas !    Confident   Affrtions   of  a  Thing 


ujeywi.  i     ■— — 


(xj  D;dccUv,  Altar.  DaiTiafcen,  p,  3 


will  never  convince  us  concerning  the  Truth  of  it,  efpe- 
daily  of  fuch  a  Thing  as  this  which  can  never  be 
proved :  For  in  the  whole  New  Teftament  there  is  not 
fo  much  as  one  Inflame  of  an  Ordination  that  was  -per- 
formed by  a  fingle  Perfon. 

Let  us  therefore  turn  to  our  Prejbyterian  Friends  and 
attend  to  what  they  have  to  offer  :  Now  they  are  ready 
to  object  and  fay,  But,  dear  Brethren,  where  do  you 
read  of  any  Ordinations  but  by  Prefbyters  ?  For  Anfwer 
to  thefe  our  entirely  beloved  Brethren,  there  is  no  need 
or  referring  them  to  the  Direction,  in  Numb.  VIII.  10, 
"Thou  floalt  bring  the  Levites  before  the  LORD,  and  the 
Children  of  Ifrael  fhall  pit  their  Hands  upon  the  Le- 
vites ;  from  which  Direction  fome  have  argued,  that 
when  a  Church  is  deflitute  of  Elders  and  Elders  cannot 
conveniently  be  had  from  another  Church,  then  Impofition 
of  Hands  may  be  performed  by  fome  of  the  confidera- 
lie  Men  of  the  Congregation,  altho'  they  mould  not  be 
Elders ;  and  that  therefore,  what  was  performed  in  the 
Church  of  Ifrael,  may  in  the  like  Cafe  be  at  prefent 
performed. 

But,  waving  this  Argument,  I  fhall  now  remark  and 
fhew,  that  the  Cafe  may  be  fuch  as  that,  if  Ordination 
be  redly  requifiite,  by  the  Impofition  of  Hands,  then  it 
way  be  performed  by  fuch  as  are  not  Officers  at  all  in  the 
CbUi-ch :  Now  this  is  very  clear ;  for  the  State  ofThings 
may  be  fuch,  that  there  cannot  be  any  Ordination  at 
toll  by  the  Impofition  of  the  Hands  of  Elders :  And  in 
inch  a  State  as  this,  as  there  are  no  Elders  or  Bifhops, 
either  there  mud  be  no  Ordination  by  the  Impofition  of 
I  [ands  at  all,  or  die  the  Ordination  mufl  be performedby 
uch  as  are  no  Officers  :  And,  that  this  may  be  the  Cafe 
ot  1  Church,  that  Ordination  cannot  be  performed  by 
Officers  in  it,  this  fhall  prefently  be  made  evident. 

To  fuch  therefore  as  are  of  the  Opinion,  that  Ordi- 
fiation  by  Officers  is  fo  necefTary  that  there  is  no  perform- 
mg  it  without  them,  we  may  calmly  addrefs  ourfelves 
..md  expoftulate  -3  Dear  Sirs,  How  will  you  prove  the 

Neceffity 


(57   ) 

NeceJJtty  of  Ordination  for  Elders  or  Bimops  ?  And,  if 
you  will  have  it  necefTary,  I  pray,  what  jjhall  he  done 
where  there  are  no  Ecclejiaftical  Officers  to  be  had  ?  For 
this  may  be  the  Cafe  of  a  Society  of  Chriftians  by  Ship- 
wreck thrown  upon  a  Place  where  there  are  no  Elders  % 
lay,  upon  the  Ifland  of  Bermuda,  which  erects  its  foli- 
tary  Head  in  the  Atlantic  at  a  Diftance  from  other  Pla- 
ces :  Suppofe  in  this  Cafe  Mr.  Paul  mould  providen- 
tially come  among  them,  who  had  never  bin  feparated 
to  the  Evangelical  Miniftry  -,  might  he  not  teach  and 
inflrucT:  them  in  the  Principles  of  Chriflianity  ?  And, 
if  Ordination  were  necefjary  in  order  to  his  Difpenfatiort 
of  the  Word  and  Ordinances,  might  not  the  poor  Ship- 
wrecked Chriftians  properly  ordain  him  and  feparate  him 
by  the  Impojition  of  Hands  to  the  Work  of  the  Miniftry  ? 
or,  which  to  me  is  the  fame  Thing,  by  the  laying  on  of 
their  Hands,  commend  him  to  the  Grace  of  GOD  in  that 
Work  to  which  they  have  called  him  ?  Truely  it  is  very 
plain  to  me  that  they  might.  This  is  certain,  that,  at 
the  Beginning  of  the  Reformation  in  Scotland,  the  old 
Manner  of  electing  and  ordaining  Minifters  was  performed 
without  Impofition  of  Hands,  as  may  be  feen  in  Knox's 
,  Forms  prefix'd  to  the  old  Pfahns :  And  the  ingenious 
Steuart,  in  the  Fourteenth  Page  of  his  Collections > 
affirms  this  Ordination  was  lawful  and  valid.  If  there- 
fore it  mould  be  thought  too  much  for  Brethren  chofen 
to  it  to  impofe  Hands  on  elected  Officers ;  certainly  we 
may  claim  the  eletling  and  ordaining  Power  for  the  Bre- 
thren without  it.  And  this  is  what  all  Men  would 
foon  difcover,  if  it  were  not  for  the  Inter  eft  of  fome 
worldly  minded  Perfons  to  entangle  the  Sentiments  of 
Mankind  and  lead  them  afide. 

Antiquity  is  no  Stranger  to  fuch  an  Opinion  as  ours:  For 
Frumentius,  who  v/as  not  in  holy  Orders,  went  and 
preach'd  to  the  Indians,  and  afterwards  was  made  a 
Prieft  and  Biihop  by  Athanasiixs:  But  no  one  that 
I  know  of  ever  faulted  his  Conduct :  Nor  has  the  King 
«f  the  Iberians  bin  condemned,  altho',  before  he  was  or- 

I  dained 


(  52  ) 

Gained  by  Elders  or  even  baptized,  he  converted  his 
Subjects,  and,  according  to  the  ancient  Hiftorian,  before 
he  was  initiated  himfelf  was  the  Apoftle  of  bis  Countrey. 
And  it  is  probable,  that  many  even  in  the  Times  of 
the  Apoftles  preacffd  and  received  Orders  from  the 
Churches  to  which  they  came:  For  Sanctius(V} 
affirms  and  acknowleges  with  Baronius,  that  more 
than  Fifteen  Tboufand  went  out  from  Jerufalem  to  pro- 
pagate the  Gofpel :  But  we  can  by  no  Means  fuppofe, 
that  they  were  ordained  canonically  and  in  an  atnple 
Form,  as  indeed  thefe  Roman  Catholicks  tbemfehes  are 
free  to  declare  that  they  were  not  thus  ordained.  To 
be  fure  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  whom  they  call  Picards* 
thought  themfelves  empowered  to  ordain  their  own  Mi- 
nifters :  For,  in  the  Year  1456,  they  form'd  themfelves 
into  Chrifiian  Churches,  and  from  twelve  that  were  chofen 
they  felecled  and  conftituted  three  by  Lot  for  their  Mi- 
nifters (b).  And  the  firft  Reformers  laid  this  Principle 
of  the  worthy  John  Huss  as  the  Foundation  of  the 
Reformation*  that  the  Law  of  CHRIST  is  fufficient  for 
the  Government  of  His  militant  Church  without  the  Addi- 
tion of  any  humane  Laws :  And,  left  they  or  their 
Poiterity  mould  fall  off  from  this  Foundation,  they 
protefted,  that,  in  order  to  preferve  their  AJJemblies  Co 
profefling  the  pure  Doctrine  of  the  Gofpel  from  being 
fcattered,  they  would  be  careful  to  keep  a  Supply  of  faith- 
ful Minifters  \  and  that  therefore,  without  expecting 
any  in  Orders  to  come  over  to  them  from  the  Church 
of  Rome,  they  were  (c)  for  ordaining  them  at  ho?ne3 
whom  they  chofe  for  their  Minifters. 

And  this  leads  me  to  demand,  how  we  Jhall  do,  if  we 
cannot  improve  the  Officers,  which  we  may  obtain,  to  con- 
fer holy  Orders  ?  For  it  fometimes  happens,  that,  where 

Officers 

(a)  Sana,  in  Aft.  VIII.  4.  and  XL  verf.  19.20. 

(b)  Lazicius  in  Apolog.  cont#  magn.  Ducem  Mofcorum* 
Cap.  9. 

(c;  Ordinances  ejft  Vomh  fro  mce£itale,  Rfgenvoft*  Hift.  Ecclcft 
Sclavonic,  p.  50, 


(59   ) 

Officers  may  be  had  to  perform  this  Service,  thofe  Officer /. 
as  well  as  the  Churches  to  which  they  belong,  may  be 
fo  very  corrupt  or  wicked  that  it  would  be  better  not  to 
improve  them  :  And  therefore  we  need  not  be  afraid  or 
alhamed  to  declare,  that,  if  our  Churches  here  can  have 
no  Minifters  but  what  muft  be  ordained  by  Popifh 
Bifhops,  the  Cafe  appears  to  us  as  forrowful,  as  if  the 
poor  Sheep  in  the  Wildernefs  could  have  none  but 
Wolves  to  appoint  Shepherds  over  them  :  Blefled  be 
God,  this  is  not  the  Cafe  with  thefe  Churches. —  But 
let  the  Cafe  be  imagined,  that  there  may  be  a  general 
Combination  of  degenerate  Paflors  in  a  Countrey,  who 
will  be  for  difpenfing  Ordination  to  none  but  fuch  as  will 
partake  with  them  in  their  Degeneracy  or  fubmit  unto  fin- 
ful  'Terms ;  where  a  particular  Church  is  defirous  to  have 
all  Things  according  to  the  Pattern  in  the  Mount :  Now 
in  this  Cafe  would  not  the  making  the  Impofition  of  Hands 
from  fuch  Minifters  as  have  bin  themfelves  ordained,  to 
be  effential  to  the  Call  of  a  Minifter,  be  a  Piece  of  foolifh 
Bigotry,  to  which  no  found  Proteftant  can  fafely  and 
prudently  fubfcribe  ?  Truely  it  feems  to  be  fo.  And 
we  are  fure,  that  Beza,  in  the  famous  Conference  at 
Poiffy,  clearly  and  fully  renounced  fuch  an  enfnaring 
Opinion,  and  maintain'd,  that  "  unto  a  legitimate  Call 
"  Impofition  of  Hands  was  not  necejfary  •■,  but  that  the 
"  chief  and  fubft ant ial  Tokens  thereof  were  a  good  Life, 
"found  Doclrine  and  Eleclion  [from  the  People  :]  Nor 
ff.  was  it  to  be  wondred  at,  if  the  Reformed  had  not  re- 
"  ceived  Impofition  of  Hands  from  them,  whofe  cor- 
"  rupt  Life,  Superftition  and  falfe  Doclrine  they  were 
"  to  reprove  ?  Or  how  could  it  be  expected,  they  floould 
"  ever  be  allowed  of  by  them,  who  v/ere  Enemies  to  the 
"  Truth  which  they  defended"  ? 

And,  in  fine,  I  would  enquire  of  the  Patrons  of  Or- 
dination by  Officers,  whether  even  good  and  meet  Officer s^ 
belonging  to  other  Churches,  may  claim  the  Power  of 
crdaining  Elders  over  Churches  to  which  they  are  not 
related  ?  Tho9  there  may  be  very  deferable  Officers  and 

I  %  in 


(6o) 

in  every  Refpect  well  qualified  near  at  Hand  ;  never- 
thelefs  it  does  not  appear,  that  even  thefe  have  Authority 
or  may  affume  to  them/elves  the  Power  of  ordaining  Elders 
to  other  Churches,  of  which  they  are  neither  Members  nor 
Officers ;  unlefs  thofe  particular  Churches,  in  which  the 
Elders  are  to  be  ordained,  reaueft  their  Prefence  and 
Affiiftance  :  For  ordinary  Officers  are  not  like  the  Apof- 
tles,  who  might  feed  all  the  Flock  of  our  Saviour; 
but  there  is  one  -particular  Flock,  of  which,  and  of  which 
alone,  they  are  to  take  the  Overfight. 

If  indeed  it  were  acknowleged  that  we  read  in  fun- 
dry  Places  of  Ordination  performed  by  Elders,  tho*  the 
Proof  of  this  is  difficult;  and  that  we  never  read  in 
the  New  Teftament  about  the  Performance  of  it  by  any 
ethers :  This  however  is  nothing  at  all  againft  what  has 
bin  offered :  For,  altho*  we  fhould  allow,  that,  in  fuch 
Churches  as  are  furnifhed  with  Elders,  Ordination  fhould 
be  performed  by  thofe  Elders  ;  we  may  nevertheless  with 
Safety  maintain,  that,  where  there  are  not  Elders  as  at 
the  firft,  nor  any  that  can  be  conveniently  borrowed  from 
Other  Churches,  Ordination  by  the  Impofition  of  Hands 
inay  then  be  validly  and  lawfully  performed  by  others. 
And  it  is  no  more  than  what  a  famous  Bifliop  of  Salif- 
bury,  in  his  Expofition  on  the  thirty  nine  Articles,  has  . 
freely  declared :  For  He  affirms,  that,  whatever  fome 
bolter  Spirits  have  fine e  thought  of  it ;  yet  not  only  thofe 
who  penVi  the  Articles,  but  the  Body  of  the  Church  for 
above  half  an  Age  afterward  were  of  a  Perfuafion  which 
implied,  that  they  thought  no  fpiritual  Powers  ne- 
ceffary  for  the  Exercife  of  the  Evangelical  Miniftry,  except 
what  the  People  could  convey  to  fuch  of  their  Body  as 
they  might  judge  qualified  for  it. 

We  may  alio  be  free  and  ready  to  grant,  that  Elders 
meeting  in  a  Council  or  Synod,  with  Brethren,  may  at  the 
Defire  of  a  particular  Church,  ordain  its  Officers :  But 
then,  as  it  has  bin  the  Judgment  of  thefe  Churches  in 
Times  pail,  there  is  yet  no  good  Reafon  why  thefe 
Churches  mould  change  their  Judgment,  that  the  El- 
ders 


ders  fo  convened  in  Council  or  Synod  with  their  Brethren 
for  this  Service,  have  no  Power  or  Jurifdiclion  of  their 
own,  hut  acl  by  vertue  of  the  Tower  derived  from  the 
particular  Churches  which  fent  for  them  :  So  that,  in 
lriort,  particular  Churches  are  the  firft  Subjecls  of  this 
Power  of  ordaining ;  as  it  is  for  particular  Churches 
that  Councils  or  Synods  convene,  when  they  meet  in 
order  to  ordain  Officers  for  them. 

The  very  learned  Fabritius,  the  Principal  Doc- 
tor of  Divinity  in  the  Reformed  Church  of  the  Pala- 
tinate, whofe  Life  is  written  and  whofe  Works  are 
publifhed  by  the  great  Heidegger  at  Zurich,  1698, 
publifhed  two  Dialogues  in  1685,  in  the  latter  of  which 
he  endeavours  to  demonftrate  that  the  Controverfy  about 
Baptifm  by  a  private  Man  in  Cafe  of  Neceflity  does  not 
belong  to  the  fundamental  Articles  of  Faith,  but  to  the 
Queftion  concerning  Order,  it  being  appointed  by  the 
Divine  Law  that  all  things  jhould  be  done  in  order : 
Which  principally  confifts  in  this,  that  every  one  per- 
form the  Duty  belonging  to  his  Charge :  And  therefore  if 
any  Man,  even  a  Laic,  be  appointed  by  the  Church  to 
adminifter  the  Sacrament,  if  he  does  it,  he  does  nothing 
but  his  Duty  and  neither  offends  againfi  the  Faith  or 
againft good  Order.  The  learned  Fabritius  indeed 
does  not  lay  this  down  as  of  himfelf  -,  but  he  commends 
both  the  Ancients  and  Moderns  who  are  of  this  Opinion. 
And  by  the  fame  Rule  he  would  have  commended  fuch 
as  affert  the  Right  of  the  Brethren  to  appoint  fome  of  their 
Number  to  confer  Orders  on  Officers  calPd  and  chofen 
by  themfelves  >,  and  fo  our  generous  and  noble  Parents 
would  have  bin  applauded  by  him  for  their  Opinion  con- 
cerning  Ordination. 

As  our  Fathers  tho't,  that  Ordination  did  not  conftitute 
an  Officer  nor  give  him  the  Ejjentials  of  his  Office :  For 
they  judg'd,  that  the  Effence  of  the  outward  Call  of  an 
ordinary  Officer  confifled,  not  in  that,  but  in  his  free  Elec- 
tion by  the  Church  and  his  Acceptance  of  that  Choice  :  So 
they  have  declared  their  Opinion,  in  the  Ninth  Chap- 
ter 


(6i) 

ter  of  their  Platform,  that,  in  Churches  where  there  are 
no  Elders,  Imposition  of  Hands  on  Officers  elected  may 
be  performed  by  fome  of  the  Brethren  orderly  chofen  by  the 
Church  for  that  Service :  And  the  Reafon  which  they 
there  aflign  for  this  is  a  good  one  :  For,  fay  they,  if  the 
People  eletl  Officers  which  is  the  greater,  and  wherein  the 
Subftance  of  the  Office  doth  confift,  they  may  much  more, 
Uccajkn  and  Need  requiring,  impofe  Hands  in  Ordina- 
tion, which  is  lefs,  and  but  the  Accomplijhment  of  the 
ether.  But,  notwithstanding  the  Claim  of  this  Right 
for  our  Churches,  they  go  on  afterwards  and  fay,  in 
the  fame  Chapter,  Neverthelefs  in  Churches,  where  they 
have  no  Elders,  and  the  Churches  defire  it,  we  fee  not, 
why  lmpofition  of  Hands  may  not  be  performed  by  the 
Elders  of  other  Churches. 

Nor  are  our  worthy  PredecefTors  fmgular  in  thefe 
their  Sentiments.  The  pious  and  learned  Perkins, 
writing  concerning  Ordination  and  Succeffion,  in  his  Com<- 
mentary  on  Gal.  I.  ii.  fays,  that,  if  in  Turkey  or 
America,  or  elfewhere  the  Gofpel  be  received  of  Meny 
by  the  Counfel  or  Perfuafion  of 'private  Perfons,  theyjhould 
not  need  to  fend  unto  Europe  for  confecrated  Minifters, 
but  have  Power  to  chufe  their  own  from  within  ihem- 
felves :  And  his  Reafon  is  becaufe,  where  GOD  gives 
the  Word,  He  gives  Power  alfo.  And  Philip  Me- 
lancthon,  the  gracious  and  excellent,  exprefTes  him- 
felf  much  after  the  fame  Manner  in  his  Anfwer  to  the 
Bohemian  Minifters,  who  taught  the  incorrupt  Doctrine 
of  the  Gofpel,  and  refutes  the  Pretext  of  Ordination  to 
be  taken  from  Bifhops  from  the  firft  Chapter  of  the 
Epiftle  to  the  Galatians.  And  the  Author  of  the  va- 
luable Scotch  Difpute  againft  Englifh  Ceremonies,  freely 
declares,  in  pag.  285th,  that,  as,  when  Princes  are  elec- 
ted, the  Election  gives  them  Jus  ad  Rem,  as  they  fpeak, 
without  which  the  Inauguration  can  never  give  them  Jus 
in  Re  ;  fo  it  is  as  to  a  Minuter :  And  Ordination  only 
applied  him  to  the  actual  exercifing  of  his  P aft  oral  Office.  \ 
which  Ordination  fhould  be  given  to  him  alone  that_  # 

e\med% 


03) 

eleffed,  and  that  becaufe  he  is  fo.  And  the  learned 
Voet,  in  his  Defperat.  Cauf.  Papat.  L.  II.  Seel:.  IL 
Cap.  XX,  has  irrefragably  proved  againft  Jansenius, 
Eleftionem  tribuere  Minifterium,  that  it  is  the  Choice 
which  makes  the  Minifies  by  fix  or  feven  Arguments. 
Now,  from  thefe  declared  Sentiments  of  fuch  eminent 
Perfons,  it  appears  very  plain  to  me,  that  the  Tho'ts 
of  our  Predeceflbrs  may  be  clear'd  from  the  Charge  of 
Singularity,  and  with  Eafe  be  fupported  and  juftified. 

Nay  I  cannot  but  think,  that  even  Arch-Bifhop 
Bancroft  has  furnilhed  us  with  a  good  Argument  in 
Favour  of  the  Opinion  maintained  by  our  Anceftors : 
For,  before  the  Confecration  of  the  three  Scotch  Bifhops 
at  London,  Andrews  the  Bifhop  of  Ely  faid,  liey 
tnuft  firfi  be  ordained  as  having  received  no  Ordination  by 
a  Bifhop  :  But  Bancroft  maintain'd,  that  there  was 
no  NeceJJity  for  it,  feeing,  where  Bifhops  could  not  be  had, 
the  Ordination  given  by  Prefbyters  mufi  be  valid  and 
efteemed  lawful:  For  otherwife  it  might  be  doubted,  if 
there  was  any  lawful  Vocation  in  moft  of  the  Reformed 
Churches,  Now,  by  the  fame  Argument  of  Ban- 
croft's, (which  is  to  be  found  in  Spotswood's  Hift. 
1.  7.  p.  514.)  there  will  be  no  Difficulty  in  maintain- 
ing the  Validity  and  Lawfulnefs  of  Ordination  by  the  Peo- 
fk :  For,  where  Bifhops  or  Prefbyters  cannot  be  had, 
Ordinations  by  them  muft  be  valid  and  efteemed  law- 
ful :  Otherwife  it  may  be  doubted  whether  there  be  any 
lawful  Vocation  in  many,  if  not  moft,  of  the  Reformed 
Churches. 

"Wherefore  I  cannot  but  fay  with  the  celebrated  Mr. 
Claude,  that  the  fierce  Opinion  that  goes  fo  high  as  to 
cwn  no  Miniftry  in  the  World,  but  where  there  are  Epif- 
copal  Ordinations,  and  which  would  make  all  Religion 
depend  on  a  difputable  Formality  •,  that  Opinion  can't  be 
looked  upon  any  otherwife  than  the  very  worft  Character 
end  the  grojfeft  Mark  of  Hypocrijy  and  worthy  of  Con- 
tempt from  all  the  Chriflians  in  the  World.  But  what 
he  has  thus  ftrongly,  but  }uftly3  exprefled  concerning 

the 


C*4) 

the  hot  Opinion  about  the  Neceffity  of  Epifcopal  Ordi- 
nations -,  I  would  fay  and  maintain  the  very  fame  con- 
cerning the  Opinion  about  the  Neceffity  of  Ordination  by 
a  Prefbytery,  as  well  as  a  Bifhop :  And  it  will  give 
me  very  little  Uneafinefs,  however  vex'd  and  angry  or 
troubled  any  may  be  with  me  for  being  of  this  Mind 
and  freely  declaring  it :  For  I  am  latisfied,  that  their 
Trouble  or  Anger  mud  arife  either  from  groundlefs 
Fancies  or  fomething  worfe  :  So  that  I  cannot  have  any 
Reafon  to  be  difturb'd  or  uneafy  at  it. 

But,  after  all,  fome  will  challenge  us  to  produce  any 
'texts  of  Scripture  that  give  Laymen  a  Right  to  ordain 
Minifters  in  any  Cafe.  And,  as  this  is  the  Challenge 
which  the  Author  of  "The  Prejudices,  &c.  made  to  the 
Famous  Mr.  Claude,  I  mall  recite  his  Reply  to  it, 
which  to  me  appears  a  full  and  fufficient  one :  It  is  to 
be  found  in  his  Defence  of  the  Reformation,  P.  IV.  p. 
94  and  95. 

"  This  Demand,  fays  he,  is  but  a  vain  Wrangling 
*'  For,  when  the  Scripture  recommends  to  the  Faithful 
"  the  taking  diligent  heed  to  the  Prefer vation  and  Con- 
*'  formation  of  their  Faith  and  to  propagate  it  to  their 
"  Children  •,  it  gives  them  by  that  very  Thing  a  fuffi- 
tc  cient  Right  to  make  Ufe  of  all  proper  Means  to  thai 
■**  End :  And  every  Body  knows  the  Miniftry  is  one 
4t  of  thofe  Means:  And  therefore  the  Obligation  the 
4C  Faithful  are  under  to  preferve  and  propagate  the 
*c  Faith  includes  that  of  creating  to  themfehes  Paftors 
<c  when  they  cannot  have  them  otherwife :  In  ihort* 
"  when  the  Scripture  teaches,  that  the  Faithful  have  a 
*c  Right  to  chufe  their  Pallors,  it  teaches  thereby  that 
"  they  have  a  Right  to  inftall  them-in  their  Office  in 
uc  Cafe  of  Neceffity  :  For  that  Call  confifting  much  more 
"  ejfentially  in  Election  than  in  Inflallation,  which  is  but 
4C  a  Formality,  there  is  no  Reafon  to  believe,  that  Gop 
**  would  have  given  the  People  a  Right  to  chufe  their 
««  Pallors  and  to  have  them  inftalled  by  others,  and 
iC  that  He  has  not  given  them  at  the  fame  Time  a 

"  "  " "~  5?  Power 


iff  3 

cc  Pd«w  0/*  inftalUng  them  themfelves,v/htn  it  cannot  be 
cc  done  otherwife.  5;^^  naturally  That,  which  we  have 
"  a  Right  to  do  by  another,  we  have  a  Right  to  do  by 
ct  our/elves".    Thus  he. 

Nay,  not  only  the  celebrated  Claude,  but  the 
learned  Dodwel,  that  mighty  Oracle  of  the  diftrac"ted% 
high-flying  Clergy,  acknowleges  fuch  a  Right  in  parti- 
cular Societies  of  chufing  and  inventing  their  Officers.  'Tis 
true  this  is  not  at  all  reconcileable  with  the  other  Parts 
of  his  [Romantic]  Scheme:  But  this  is  nothing  toils. 
It  is  in  his  Separation  of  Churches ,  [P.  102  and  52.} 
that  he  writes  after  this  Manner;  "  The  Church,  with 
*'  whom  God  has  made  the  Covenant,  is  a  Body  Poll- 
"  tic,  tho9  not  a  Civil  one  •>  and  God  has  defign'd  all 

*c  Perfons  to  enter  into  this  Society. It  is  iufficient 

"  for  my  Purpofe,  that  the  Ecckfiaftical  Power  be  no 
*<  otherwife  from  God,  than  that  is  of  every  fupreme. 
"  Civil  Magiftrate.  It  is  not  ufual  for  Kings  to  be  in- 
"  vefted  into  their  Offices  by  other  Kings,  but  by  their 
4C  Subjetls :  Yet,  when  they  are  inveftei,  that  doth  not 
4C  in  the  lead  prejudice  the  Abfolutenefs  of  their  Mo 
**  narchy,  where  the  Fundamental  Confutations  of  the 
*c  refpe&ive  Places  allow  it  to  them. —  And  (in  Pag„ 
522  and  52  3  J  he  fays,  u  Whenever  a  Perfon  is  invefled 
4c  with  the  fupreme  Power,  and  the  Society  over  which 
cc  he  is  placed  is  independent  on  other  Societies  fucli  i 
cc  Perfon  can  never  be  placed  in  his  Power,  if  not  by 
*c  them  who  muft  after  be  his  Subjects,  unlefs  by  his  Pre- 
*6  deceffor,  which  no  Society  can  depend  upon  for  a 

a*  conitant  Rule  of  Succeffion. 1  am  apt  to  think, 

*c  this  muft  have  bin  the  Way  of  making  Bilhops  at 
**  firft,  how  abfolute  foever  I  conceive  them  to  be  when 

6C  they  are  once  made. This  feems  beft  to  agree 

ec  with  the  Abfolutenefs  of  -particular  Churches,  before 
•c  they  had  by  Compact  united  themfelves  under  Metro- 
tc  politans  and  Exarchs  into  Provincial  and  Diocelan 
•'  Churches.  And  this  feems  to  have  bin  fitted  for  the 
•*  frequent  Perfections  of  thofe  earlier  Ages,  when 

K  "euer* 


<i  eqjery  Church  was  able  to  fecure  its  own  Succeffion\ 
cc  without  depending  on  the  uncertain  Opportunities  of 
"  the  meeting  of  the  Bifhops  of  the  whole  Province.- 
"  And  the  Alterations  of  this  Practice,  the  giving  of 
*'  the  Bifhops  of  the  Province  an  Intereft  in  the  Choice 
*c  of  every  particular  Colleague*  feems  not  to  have  bin  Jo 
<c  much  for  want  of  Power  in  the  -particular  Churches  to 
"  do  it,  as  for  the  Security  of  Compacts,  that  they  might 
cc  be  certain  of  fuch  a  Colleague  as  would  obferve 
c<  them.  It  is  probable,  that  it  was  in  Imitation  of 
€t  the  Phllofophers  Succeflions,  that  thefe  Ecclefiaftical 
ct  Succeflions  were  framed :  And,  when  the  Philofb- 
*'  phers  fail'd  to  nominate  their  own  SuccefTors,  the 
ec  Election  was  in  the  Schools".  Now,  granting  thefe 
Things,  we  have  all  that  we  defire :  For,  if  every  par- 
ticular Church  has  originally  a  Power  within  itfelf  to  chufe 
and  inveft  its  Bifhop,  and  the  Concurrence  of  other  Bifhops 
herein  be  not  for  want  of  Power  in  particular  Churches? 
but  only  for  the  fecuring  an  [uncertain]  Agreement  of 
[arbitrary  and  troublefome]  Bifhops  among  the?nfelves\ 
then  certainly  all  particular  Churches,  according  to  the 
common  Principles  of  all  Societies,  have  a  latent  Power 
of  elecling  and  inverting  their  Officers ;  altho',  by  the 
Laws  of  the  Community,  or  thro*  Cuftom  they  may 
confgn  the  Exercife  of  this  Power  to  a  particular  Order 
of  Men  amongft  them. —  And  with  this  we  are  fatif- 
fied. 

But  I  have  not  yet  exhaufted  my  Stock :  I  have  other 
Teftimonies  to  produce  in  Confirmation  of  the  Senti- 
ments of  thofe  who  founded  thefe  Churches. 

A  very  valuable  and  ingenious  Scotchman,  whofe 
Name  is  Alexander  Lauder  in  his  Ancient 
Bifi'Ops  confidered  has  thefe  Paflages ;  "  The  People 
66  had  an  inherent  Right  to  feparaie  from  the  Bifhops  at 
*c  the  Reformation  *,  becaufe  the  Communion  of  the 
cc  Bifhops  was  then  Idolatrous?  and  fo  polluted  that  it 
*'  could  not  be  continued  in  without  manifeft  Hazard. — 
*$  Then  they  had  alfo  an  inherent  Right  to  fet  up  another 

J*  Com* 


(«7   ) 

cc  Communion*  diftinft  from  the  polluted  and  hazardous 
*c  Communion  of  thefe  Bifliops,  or  fet  up  new  Affem- 
"  bites :  For  their  Souls  would  have  bin  in  Hazard,  if 
"  they  had  lived  feparately  and  had  not  fet  up  new 
<c  Communions  or  AfTemblies,  thro'  want  of  Sacra- 
"  ments  and  other  Means  of  Grace  or  Accefs  to  wor- 
6C  fhip  God  in  a  public  Way. —  There  is  no  Right 
cc  more  authentic  than  that  which  is  founded  on  indif- 
<c  pen/able  Neceffity :  In  that  Cafe  God  has  not  only 
u  given  People  a  Right  to  do  the  Thing,  but  has  laid 
"  an  Obligation  upon  them  to  do  it. —  The  People  had 
cc  alfo  an  inherent  Right  to  fet  up  new  Bijhops  and  Pref 
<c  byters  to  themfelves  \  — -  fuppofing  that  not  one  or- 
H  dained  Perfon  had  joined  with  them  in  their  Separa- 
*c  tion,  and  that  all  the  Bifhops  and  Prefbyters  without 
"  Exception  had  adher'd  unto  the  Pope  and  the  Roman 
"  Church. —  What  Probability  is  there,  that  Christ 
cc  would  refufe  to  give  His  People  a  Right  or  Power 
"to  do  what  was  needful  for  them  •,  contrary  to  His 
"  exprefs  Promife,  that  He  will  give  Grace  and  Glory 
cc  and  wit  hold  no  good  'thing  from  them  that  walk  up- 
"  rightly? —  Bifhops  and  Prefbyters  after  their  Separa- 
4C  tion  were  necefiary  for  them  :  They  could  not  enjoy 
tc  the  Ordinances  of  the  Gofpel  without  them. —  It  muft 
**  be  faid,  either  that  CHRIST!  gave  them  a  Right  to 
"  create  Bifhops  and  Prefbyters  to  themfelves  or  obliged  to 
"  have  Recourfe  to  the  Church  of  Rome  for  them. —  To 
"  fuppofe  that  is  ridiculous  and  monftrous  \  yea  it  is  a 
(c  Blafphemy*  and  a  Reflection  upon  the  Wifdom  of 
cc  God  Almighty  :  For,  according  to  this  Suppofition, 
• c  He  laid  it  on  them  as  a  Duty  to  fe par  ate  from  the  idola- 
"  trous  Popifh  Communion  and  erect  diflinel  Churches  to 
"  no  Purpofe  at  all,  and  to  bring  them  into  as  great  or 
"  greater  Difficulties  than  they  would  have  bin  in  if 
ii  they  had  continued  in  the  Idolatrous  Popifh  Com- 

"  munion'*. And  the  fame  worthy  Writer,  quoting 

an  Order  of  a  Council  at  Rome*  that  the  Bijkop  to  be 
confecrated  be  chofen  by  all  the  Church*  and  an  Order  of 

K  2  another 


(68) 

another  Council  at  Clermont  to  the  fame  Purpofcj 
makes  this  agreable  Reflection  in  the  Margin  ;  "  Hence 
"  it  is  evident,  that  Perfons  are  constituted  or  made 
"  Bifhops  by  the  JLlebJion  of  the  People \  and  not  by  Ordi- 
*'  nation  which  is  performed  by  Bifhops :  One  is  made 
u  or  conftituted  a  Bifhop  by  that,  by  which  he  is  ad- 
«c  vanced  to  the  high  Dignity  of  the  Miniflry :  But, 
*'  according  to  thefe  Councils,  the  Suffrage  of  the  Peo- 
*'  pie  is  the  Thing,  and  not  an  Ordination^  that  advances 
<c  one  to  the  high  Dignity  of  the  Miniftry  :  This  is 
*c  alfo  evident  from  Canon  XXII.  of  the  Council  of 
"  Conftantinople :  For  in  it  the  Election  and  Promotion 
*'  of  a  Bifhop  are  one  Thing",     Thus  he. 

And  the  worthy  Mr.  Simon  Browne,  in  an 
Ordination-Sermon  preached  not  long  fince  by  him, 
Found  hirrifelf  obliged  to  give  into  fuch  Sentiments  as 
thefe  i  "  Neither  Ordination  by  Bifhops  nor  by  other 
*c  Minifter  s  is  abfolutely  necejfary  to  the  Being  of  the 
<c  Miniftry.  A  Perfon  may  be  a  Minifter  without 
"  Ordination  by  other  Minifters.  This  Power  is  not 
"  green \  but  acbioivleged  and  declared  in  Ordination. 
<c  And  yet  in  many  Cafes  a  Man  may  be  obliged  to 
cc  the  Work  when  he  cannot  be  ordained  :  And,  where 
"  the  Obligation  is  notorious  and  plain,  there  is  a 
44  fufRcient  and  valid  Declaration  of  his  Minifterial 
"  Power  or  of  the  Will  of  Ch  r  ist  that  he  fhould  act  in 
"  his  Office,  li  a  Company  of  Christians  were  Ship- 
"  wrecked  on  a  remote  and  unknown  Shore,  to  which 
"  they  were  uncapable  of  fetching  ordained  Minifters 
*■'  from  any  other  Place  •,  I  think  a  Man  muft  be  out  of  his 
ct  Wits  to  afiert,  that  this  Body  of  Men  muft  live  like 
"  Hcaibeus^  and  not  openly  ownCH  r  ist  by  performing 
tc  all  common  Chriftian  Exercifes  in  public  Affemblies 
"for  *w'0i  of  an  ordained  Minifter.  Without  Doubt  he, 
"  who  was  the  moft  ca[able  among  them  to  teach  the 
"  reft  and  perform  the  other  Duties  of  a  Minifter,  zvas 
i;  bound  in  Conf/cuce  to  undertake  thai  IVcrk  \  and,  if 
iC  obliged  to  do'' the  W¥r%  of  a  Minifter,  he  had  certainly 


C*9  ) 

6C  Authority  From  Christ  to  be  a  Minifter;  unlefs 
««  we  make  Christ's  Commands  contradictory,  and 
"  fay,  A  Man  was  obliged  in  Duty  to  do  that,  which 
"  when  done  would  be  unlawful  and  a  Sin  for  want  of 
"  fufficient  Authority.  The  like  may  be  faid,  if  Mi- 
"  nifters  or  Bijbops  refufe  Ordination  to  qualified  Men+ 
"  unlefs  they  will  fubmit  unto  unlawful  Terms,  and  no 
"  other  Minifters  can  be  procured  to  do  the  Work ; 
*c  which  was  the  Cafe  of  feveral  of  the  firft  Reformers : 
"  In  thefe  and  all  fuch  like  Cafes  Ceremonies  muft  be 
<c  waved,  whilft  a  due  Regard  is  had  unto  what  is  chief 
"  and  principal". 

Nor  may  I  leave  the  Judgment  of  the  uncommonly 

learned  Vo  e  t  untranfcribed,  as  he  has  left  it,  in  his 

Defperat.  Caufi  Papatus.   L.  II.  Sedt.  II.  Cap.  XXI, 

in  Anfwer  to  Jansenius,  where  he  fays  as  follows, 

"  The  Succeflion  and  Calling  of  Pallors  can  and  ought 

cc  to  be  repaired  by  the  Church,  that  is  to  fay,  by  the 

"  Society  or  Company  of  the  Faithful,  tho*  they  be  alto- 

<c  gether  deftitute  of  Bi/hops  and  Prejbyter  s  :    For  every 

"  Church  has  effentially  and  properly  the  Power  of 

"  Calling,  tho'  it  may  put  over  fome  Acls  of  that  Calling 

"  to  fome  other  Perfons :  For,  as  the  Pope  is  created 

<c  and  confecrated  by  thofe  who  are  not  Popes,  and  as 

"  the  High  Prieft  in  the  Old  Teftament  was  confecrated 

"  by  his  Inferior  -,  fo  a  Bijhop  may  be  proclaimed,  con- 

"  ftituted  and  endowed  with  Minifterial  Power  by  a 

"  Prejbyter,  and  a  Prejbyter   by  any  Member  of  the 

"  Church,  that  is  peculiarly  delegated  to  that  Service 

"  by  the  Suffrages  of  his  Brethren.     And  indeed  what 

"  fhould  hinder  that  the   formal    Solemnity  of  Cotife- 

"  cration  may  not  in  fuch  a  neceffitous  Cafe  be  laid 

"  afide,  and  that  he  who  is  lawfully  chofen  may  not 

"  without  it  perform  the    Bufinefs    of  his   Miniftry  ? 

6C  Truely  there  is  nothing  at  all,  that  from  the  Divine 

"  Right  of  fuch  Formalities  can  fhew  them  to  be  a 

"  ncceffary  Mean".     And  in  the  fame  Chapter  He  has 

many  other  Paflages  to  the  fame  Purpofe,     Wherefore 

I 


C7°  1 

I  cannot  but  Fall  into  the  fame  Declaration  with  him, 
in  the  fifth  Part  of  his  Selecl  Difputations,  De  Ecclef 
P.  384.  Our  Belgian  Churches,  as  alfo  the  French 
Churches  and  others  are  true  Churches  and  indeed  pure9 
yea  and  integral  •,  the?  they  want  Bijhops  as  at  this  Day 
called:  And  their  Minifters  are  true  Minifters,  truely 
and  lawfully  called  -,  tho9  they  neither  have  that  pretended 
Epifcopal  Ordination,  nor  would  have  it  or  care  at  all 
for  it.  Thefe  Citations,  as  well  as  the  foregoing  ones, 
are  of  great  Weight  and  Importance,  not  only  on  the 
Account  of  the  Character  and  Quality  of  the  Writers, 
which  with  many  may  go  pretty  far  •,  but  alfo  becaufe, 
Jet  their  Character  and  Quality  be  what  it  will,  their 
Arguments  are  well  fupported  and  confirmed. 

And  well  may  Protectants  fpeak  and  write,  as  I  have 
rehearfed,  when  even  Father  Paul,  in  his  Treatife  of 
Beneficiary  Matters,  fays  exprefly,  "  Pope  Leo  fhews 
*c  amply,  that  the  Ordination  of  a  Bifkop  could  not  be 
"  lawful  or  valid,  which  was  net  required  by  the  Peo- 
"  pie  and  approved  by  them  -,  which  is  faid  by  all  the 
"  Saints  of  thofe  'Times :  And  St.  Gregory  thought 
"  Constance  could  not  be  confecrated  Bifhop  of 
"  Milan,  being  elected  by  the  Clergy,  without  the 
<c  Confent  of  the  Citizens,  who  by  Reafon  of  Perfecu- 
<c  tion  retired  to  Genoa  >  and  He  prevail'd  that  they 
"  Should  be  firft  fent  unto  to  know  their  Will.  A 
l*  Thing  worthy  to  be  noted,  continues  He,  in  our  Days, 
"  when  that  Election  is  declared  to  be  illegitimate  and 
"  null,  in  which  the  People  have  any  Share".  Thus 
that  rara  Avis  in  the  Romifh  Communion. 

Thus  I  have  fhewn  the  Opinion  of  our  difcerning 
predeceifors  concerning  Ordination,  and  recited  various 
Arguments  and  Authorities  by  which  their  Opinion 
may  be  defended  and  juftified  s  And  I  am  fure,  that 
however  amifs  any  may  think  of  their  Opinion  on  any 
other  Accounts,  they  can  have  no  Reafon  to  blame 
them  for  being  alone  and  fingular  in  it :  For  there  has 
bin  a  mix'd  Company  introduced  of  the  very  fame  Opi- 
nion with  them.  It 


C?0 

It  is  needlefs  to  confirm  thefe  Things  from  the  anci- 
ent Writers:  One  Cyprian  is  enow  for  our  Pur- 
pofe,  whom  we  have  all  reafon  to  believe  in  a  Matter 
of  Fatty  altho'  his  Authority  may  not  go  very  far  with 
us  \  For  he,  fpeaking  of  Ordination  by  the  Suffrage  of 
the  whole  Brotherhood  of  the  Church  >  is  fo  free  as  to 
declare  upon  it,  that  (d\  according  to  Divine  "Tradition 
and  Apoftolical  Practice,  this  Cufiom  is  to  be  diligently 
kept  and  preferved  among  us,  as  it  is  throughout  all  the 
Provinces  almoft :  And  his  Teftimony  is  fo  clear  con- 
cerning this  Matter,  that  it  would  be  fuperfluous  to 
mention  any  other,  de  univerfa  Fraternitatis  Suffragio^ 
concerning  the  Right  of  the  Fraternity  to  give  their 
Suffrages  in  all  Ordinations. 

Inftead  therefore  of  producing  any  other  Citations 
in  Confirmation  of  the  Remarks  which  have  bin  made; 
I  mall  write  in  the  Style  of  the  foremention'd  Author 
concerning  Ordinations,  Let  thofe  Ordinations  be  ftill 
accounted  lawful  and  juft  which  pafs  the  Suffrage  and 
Judgment  of  all  (e)  ;  adding  the  Remark  of  Origen, 
in  his  Sixth  Homily  upon  Leviticus  (/) ;  Tho\  fays  he, 
the  LORD  had  commanded  concerning  the  Confecration 
of  the  Prieft  and  had  chofen  him  -,  yet  the  People  and  even 
all  the  Congregation  was  gathered  together  on  that  Occa- 
fwn :  For  in  the  Ordination  of  a  Prieft  the  Prefence  of 
the  People  is  required  that  they  may  all  know  and  be 
certified,  &c.  and  that  afterwards  there  may  be  no  Re- 
tr ablation  and  Scruple:  From  which  Words  Sixtus 
Sesensis,  a  learned  Roman  Catholic  Writer,  acknow- 
leges,  that  Origen    feems  to  allow  the  People  fome 

Au- 


(6)  Ddigenier  de  Traditions  Dwina  &  ApoftAica  Obferva* 
tionc  fervandum  eft  gf  tenendum  apud  nus  quoam,  utfe)S  per 
univerfas  Provtnciat  tenetur.        Cyprian.  Epift.  68. 

(0  Sit  Ordinatio  iftajuftaet  Ugitima,  qua omnium  Sujfiagiii 


&  Judicio  fuetitexammata.        °Ejufd.  Epift.  68. 

(;)  Requititut  enim  in  ordinandi  Sneer  dote  gf  Vraftr.tia, 
Populi,  ut  omnesfciant  Qf  ctrtifirJ.—Et  hoc  aftante  Popuh,  rte 
qua  poftmodum  Retra&atio  cu^quam^  W  ann  ScwPltlus  TtfidlMU 

v*d«  Origen*  HomiL  6.  in  Levi*. 


C-7V-) 

Authority  in  the  Choice  of  their  Bifiops  (g\  tho9  he  after- 
wards  endeavours  to  prove  the  contrary.  But  we  have, 
to  our  Comforr,  the  Teftimony  of  the  Abbot  Fleur  y* 
another  learned  Roman  Catholic  Writer,  in  his  Difcourfes 
on  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,  that  the  People  were  cenfulted  in 
Things  wherein  they  were  any  Ways  concerned^  as  in 
Ordinations:  And  of  this  ^  writes  he,  we  have  Inftances 
in  CTPRIANi  and  the  very  Form  of  ordaining  fill 
makes  it  appear,  vid.  Pont.  Rom.  Hift.  L.  XXIV, 
N.  40, 


Chap.  Ill 


(%)  Slxu  Senenl  BibJiotb*  Sanfc  1.  V*  p.  rifi 


(73) 

Chapter  III. 

The  Right  of  thefe  Churches  to  [end 
forth  their  Elders  and  other  Delegates 
7ipon  proper  Occafions^  and  to  call  them 
to  an  Account  upon  their  Return  main- 
tained* 


AS  Churches  cannot  with  Convenience  repair  to 
diftant  Places  upon  recurring  Occafions  •,  it  is 
for  this  Reafon  requifite  and  neceflary,  that  on  fuch 
Occafions  they  mould  ufe  the  vicarious  Help  of  others. 
And,  as  every  particular  Church,  that  hath  Elders  and 
odier  Members  adorned  with  mental  and  gracious  Qua- 
lifications fitting  them  for  public  Service,  hath  an  un- 
doubted Right  to  improve  and  make  Ufe  of  them  in  the 
bell  Manner  and  on  the  belt  Occafions ;  {o^  if  the 
Honour  of  our  blejfed  Lord  and  the  Welfare  of  any  of  the 
Churches  require  it,  they  have  then  the  Liberty  of  in- 
ftrucling  and  fending  forth  their  Elders  and  other  Dele- 
gates. 

Thus  it  was  unqueftionably  in  ancient  Times :  For 
the  Brethren  of  the  Church  at  Antioch  determined  that 
Paul  and  Barnabas  and  certain  others  fhould  go  up 
to  Jerufalem  to  confedt  the  Apoflles,  Elders  and  Brethren 
there.  And  the  Philippians  fent  forth  the  worthy 
Ep a p h rod i t us  to  the  Apoftle  Paul  with  a  Pre- 
fent  •,  for  this  is  the  meaning  of  their  Fellozvjhip  in  the 
Gofpel,  for  which  the  Apoftle  thanks  GOD,  in  Phil.  I. 
5  and  6  Verfes.  It  means  their  contributing  or  com- 
municatin?  to  bis  Support  while  he  was  in  Bands  to  make 

L  Apotm 


(74   ) 

Apology  for  the  Go/pel  before  that  roaring  Lion  Nero  : 
And  it  appears  from  Chap.  II.  Verf.  25th  of  that 
Epiflle,  that  Epaphroditus  was  their  Meffengers 
who  alfo  in  Return  was  to  act  in  our  Apoftle's  Be- 
half and  difcharge  his  Office  to  the  Philippians :  For 
this  is  the  Senfe  of  the  Verfe,  your  Apoftle  or  MefTenger 
and  the  Performer  of  my  Office  towards  you  (h),  as  a  very 
Ingenious  Man  has  juftly  expreffed  it.  And  we  read 
of  one,  whofe  Praife  was  in  the  Gofpel  throughout  all 
the  Churches,  that  was  chofen  by  the  Churches  to  travel 
with  our  Apoftle  on  a  charitable  Occafion,  in  2  Cor. 
VIII.   18  and  19. 

And,  that  the  Churches  continued  afterwards  to  claim 
this  Right,  it  will  abundantly  appear  from  Clement's 
firft  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians :  For  this  Epiftle,  which 
weareth  his  honourable  Name,  was  fent  by  the  Church 
of  Rome  unto  the  Corinthians  by  Claudius,  Ephe- 
bus,  Valerius,  Bibo,  Fortunatus,  who  were 
their  Apoftle s  if)  or  MefTengers  to  the  Church  at  Co- 
rinth :  And  thefe  Perfons,  you  muft  know,  were  not 
Officers  in  the  Church  at  that  Time,  nor  appear  to  be 
mention'd  at  all  under  that  Character ;  but  they  were 
prudent  and  fit  Memlers  of  that  Chriftian  Community 
to  be  fent  with  this  Epiftle  and  act  in  Behalf  of  the 
Church  of  Rome  :  It  follows  therefore,  that,  as  this 
Letter  was  fent  by  the  Church  and  thefe  Meffengers  were 
appointed  and  difpatch'd  in  the  Name  of  the  Church  with 
it,  the  Church  muft  be  heartily  confenting  unto  the 
fending  of  the  Letter  and  the  Meffengers  -,  and  that  there- 
fore the  Church  muft  meet  together  -,  for,  without  this9 
how  could  they  confent  to  the  fending  Letter  or  MeJJ'en* 
gers  to  the  Church  of  the  Corinthians  ? 

Particular  Churches  then  are  pofTefs'd  of  this  Right 
and  Privilege  of  appointing  and  fending  forth  Elders 
and  other  Delegates  on  fuitable  Occafions :  And  by  the 

fame 


(h)  Vcjltum  auttm  Jpcftolum&  mc'i  muneris  vicarium,  Cajlsllioi 
(i)  vid..  Vtimsnu  Epift.  ad  Corinth. 


(  75  ) 

fame  Reafon  they  may  call  than  to  an  Account  at  their 
Return  :  And,  if  upon  Enquiry  it  mail  be  found,  that 
they  have  done  any  Thing  prejudicial  to  the  Truth  and 
Peace  of  the  Gofpel,  they  may  juftly  expoftulate  with 
them  and  afk  the  Reafons  of  their  Conduct  and  refufe 
to  regard  what  they  have  bin  doing. 

Nor  indeed  can  any  Thing  be  more  fit  and  fuitable 
than  this,  that  the  MefTengers  of  particular  Churches, 
who  have  done  amifs?  or  ly  under  the  Sufpicion  of  irregu- 
lar Conduct  and  a  faulty  Management  of  their  Affairs, 
fhould  be  queftioned  by  the  Churches,  whofe  MefTen- 
gers diey  are,  and  in  whole  Service  they  are  em- 
ploy'd. 

And  as  this  is  fit  and  fuitable  in  it/elf,  that  the  Bre- 
thren in  particular  Churches  fhould  call  their  Delegates 
to  an  Account  for  their  Management  in  their  Service  ; 
there  is  alfo  an  Inftance  to  be  given  from  the  Scripture? 
which  will  ilifficiently  juftify  the  Brethren  in  the  Ufe  of 
this  Liberty  :  It  is  in  Aft.  XL  2  and  3  Verfes,  where 
we  read,  that,  when  PETER  was  come  up  to  Jerufa- 
lem,  they  that  were  of  the  Circumcifion  contended  with 
him?  or  rather  caWd  him  to  an  Account  in  order  to  pafs 
their  Judgment ;  faying?  Thou  went  eft  in  to  Men  uncir- 
cumcifed  and  didft  eat  with  them  :  And  it  follows  in  the 
next  Verfe,  that  PETER  rehearfed  from  the  Beginning? 
and  expounded  by  Order  unto  them. 

Now,  if  the  Brethren  might  demand  of  an  Apoftle 
the  Reafons  of  his  Behaviour,  and  if  the  Apoftle  tho't 
himfelf  accountable  to  them  and  therefore  oblig'd  to 
apologize  for  his  Conduct  before  them  -,  the  Conclufion 
is  ftrong  and  irrefiftable,  that  now  the  Brethren  have  the 
Liberty  much  ?nore  to  enquire  concerning  the  Manage- 
ments of  their  Elders  and  other  Delegates  whom  they 
improve,  and  to  require  Satisfaction  of  them  concerning 
any  Breaches  of  Rule  into  which  they  may  be  be- 
tray'd  ?  and  Elders  and  other  MeJJengers  are  now  much 
more  obliged  to  render  them  an  Account  and  fatisfy 
thems  when  they  properly  and  honeftly  demand  that 

K  i  thev 


C   ?0 

they  mould  do  fo :  And  the  Rcafcn  is  plain  :  For  no  . 
Perfons  have  any  Right  to  confult,  vote  or  act  in, 
behalf  of  any  particular  Church  but  by  vertue  of  a  De- 
legation from  that  Church  :  It  is  this  alone  that  em- 
powers them  :  And,  if  without  fuch  empowering,  any 
ihall  pretend  to  act  as  their  Delegates,  they  muft  be 
dpemed  bitjy  Bodies  in  other  Men's  Matters :  And,  fince 
thefe  Things  are  fo,  furely  particular  Churches  may 
appoint  whom  they  pleafe  to  any  Truft  or  Service,  and 
may  challenge  an  Account  of  their  Steward/hip  and  Ma- 
nagements for  them. 

•  But  fuppofing,  as  it  is  a  fuppofeab]e  Cafe,  that  any 
"Delegates  from  particular  Churches  upon  emergent  Oc- 
cafipns  JJoould  fubftitute  others  in  their  Room,  and  fo 
fhould  not  be  able  to  give  any  Account  of  their  Trans- 
actions ?  I  anfwer,  That,  altho'  the  Cafe  may  be  fuppofedy 
yet  the  Thing  ought  not  to  be :  For  none  in  fuch  Cafes 
have  the  Power  of  fubftituting  others  in  their  Room  and 
Stead  •,  any  more  than  an  Emhaffador  from  one  Prince 
or  Commonwealth  to  another  Prince  or  Commonwealth 
hath  the  Power  of  fubftituting  whom  he  pleafes  to  per- 
form the  EmbaiTy  for  him  (;).  'Tis  true  the  Romifa 
Bifhops  did  not  appear  in  fome  of  their  General  Coun- 
cils and  other  Councils,  but  fent  Meffengers  or  Vicars 
in  their  Room  to  them  :  But  it  is  very  evident,  as  that 
fuch  a  Method  was  dij orderly^  fo  that  there  was  always 
feme  vile  Defign  to  carry  on,  and  fome  peculiar  Strata- 
gem to  be  forwarded  by  it.  And  furely  the  Churches, 
if  they  are  ever  thus  impofed  on  by  fuch  Subftitutions, 
fliould  animadvert  upon  thefe  that  devolve  the  Trufts 
repofed  in  them  upon  others,  and  ought  not  to  mind  what 
thofe,  who  were  not  appointed  by  them,  traniact  and 
agree  to  en  their  Behalf. 

Animated  by  fuch  Confederations  as  thefe,  fome  of 
the  ancient  Fathers  were  not  at  all  backward,  but  very 
forward  and  ready  to  Jubmit  to  the  Brethren :  Nay  fome 

of 

(j)  Voet.  folic.  Ecclef.  Par.  Ill,  Jjbf  l  Tratt.  HI  Cap.  IX, 


C/7) 
of"  them  were  fo  fond  of  making  them  fatisfied  and 
eafy,  that  they  were  ready  almoft  to  comply  with  any 
Thing.  The  angry  old  Epiphanius,  writing  a- 
gainft  the  Carpocratians,  informs  us,  that,  altho'  Cle- 
ment was  ordained  by  Peter,  yet  he  refufed  the 
Biihoprick  of  Rome  as  long  as  Linus  and  Cletus 
were  living  •,  and  then  he  gives  us  the  Reafon  of  that 
his  Refufal :  For,  continues  Epiphanius,  he  fays  in 
one  of  his  Epiftles,  /  depart,  1  go  my  Ways :  Only  let 
the  People  of  GOD  have  Reft  and  Quietnefs  (k) :  But,  if 
E  p  i  p  h  a  n  i  u  s  means  the  fir  ft  Epijlle  of  CLEMENT 
here,  it  muft  be  confeffed  that  this  PafTage  is  there,  but 
it  is  ufed  in  another  Senfe :  For  Clement,  in  this 
Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians,  is  advifing  them  upon  the 
Rife  of  Troubles  and  Contentions  in  the  Church  to 
fpeak  in  fuch  a  Manner,  Is  there  any  one,  fays  he,  that 
is  of  a  noble  Spirit  among  you  ?  Is  there  any  one  that  is 
compajjionate  ?  Doth  any  one  abound  in  Charity  ?  Let 
him  fay,  if  this  Sedition  or  Contention  or  Schifin  be  for  me 
or  by  my  Means,  I  will  depart,  /  will  go  my  Ways 
whitherfoever  you  pleafc,  I  will  do  what  the  Multitude 
commands :  Only  let  the  Sheepfold  of  CHRIST  enjoy 
Peace  (I).  This  is  the  Advice  of  the  good  Clement 
in  that  Epiftle ;  and,  altho5  it  be  directed  to  the  Bre- 
thren in  Corinth,  or  to  fuch  as  might  be  in  Office,  on 
whole  Account  there  was  a  Diilurbance  and  Contention 
in  the  Church ;  we  may  however  very  well  fuppofe, 
that  he,  would  himfelf  have  followed  it  rather  than  have 
continued  with  his  People  when  they  were  difatisfied 
and  uneafy  with  him.  And  Chrysostom  has  a 
PafTage,  which  fome  conjecture  that  he  ufed  with  refer- 
ence to  the  Claufes  that  have  bin  recited  out  of  Cle- 
men t  ,  If  fays  he  to  his  People,  you  conceive  or  fuft 
pell  theft  Things  of  us,  we  are  ready  to  depart  and  deliver 
up   our  Power  to  whomfoever  ye  pleafe :    Only  let   the 

Church 


(k)  Epiphcm,  L.  I.  Hxref.  27. 


C  78  ) 

Church  be  at  Unity  within  itfelf(m).  Augustin  has; 
forne  where  well  obferved,  we  are  Chrijiians  for  our 
felves  and  Bijhops  for  you  :  And  it  feems  to  be  his  Judg- 
ment, that  the  End  of  every  Government  in  general  is 
the  Good  of  the  Perfons  governed^  and  not  of  him  who 
governs.  And  Gregory  Nazianzen  openly  pro- 
fefTed  at  Conjlantinople,  that,  altho'  he  were  innocent 
and  free  from  Blame,  yet  he  could  depart  or  be  caft  out 
rather  than  they  JJoould  have  Contention  among  them  (n)  : 
And  he  did  fo  accordingly  (0).  The  firft  Synod  indeed 
of  Ephefus,  in  the  Cafe  of  the  aged  Eustathius, 
condemned  him  for  renouncing  his  Office  upon  his  own 
Judgment  and  without  feeking  Advice :  And  proba- 
bly he  was  to  blame  in  that  Affair :  But  a  Synod ? 
convened  under  Photius  at  Confiantinople,  declared 
that  fuch  a  Departure  was  in  fo?ne  Cafes  lawful  (p). 

Upon  the  whole  •,  It  would  be  an  happy  Thing  for 
die  Churches  of  Christ,  if  all  their  Elders  and  all 
their  Meffengers  which  they  improve  were  of  fuch  a 
Chriftian  Temper.  But,  if  there  be  any  who  are  not 
of  this  Temper,  the  Churches,  which  are  unhappily 
pofTefs'd  of  them,  would  do  well  to  watch  over  them 
and  ftrirtly  enquire  into  their  Managements  on  their  Be- 
half, left  they  mould  abufe  the  Truft  repofed  in  them  and 
fiibvert  their  fundamental  Rights  and  Privileges  -,  and  the 
greater  any  one  is  or  feems  to  be,  whom  they  employ, 
they  mould  be  the  more  careful  of  him  left  the  Church 
iliould  be  troubled  by  him  and  annoyed  by  his  fuperior 
and  excelling  Gifts.  It  is  very  reafonable,  and  the  lear- 
ned Abbot  Fl eur y,  in  his  Difcourfes  on  Ecclefiaftical 
Hiftory,  fays  it  ought  to  be  fo,  that  in  every  Society  the 
Inter  eft  of  each  particular  Perfon,  even  of  him  who  go- 
verns,  Jhould  give  Place  to  that  of  the  whole  Body. 
Wherefore  let  thefe  Churches  be  fenfible  of  their  Inte- 

reft 

(m)  Cljryp.Jlom.  Homil.  II.  ad  Epbef. 
(nj  Gyego>.  Nizitnzen.  Oral.  52,. 
(«■)  Gregor.  Nazianztn.  vit. 
(i)  Synod.  ConiUutinopol.  Canon*  £. 


C  79  ) 

reft  and  take  Care  of  it,  nor  fuffer  that  of  any  particular 
Perfons  to  prevail  and  triumph  over  it. 


Chapter  IV. 

The  Liberty  of  thefe  Churches  to  de~ 
pofe  and  withdraw  from  their  Elders^ 
when  they  are  guilty  of  Male-Ad- 
miniftration,  defended. 

IT  has  bin  aflerted  and  proved,  that  Elder %  as  well 
other  Delegates,  are  accountable  to  the  particular 
Churches  who  employ  them  :  Bat  fome  may  probably 
here  enquire,  Suppofing  the  Elders  of  a  particular  Church 
jhould  be  guilty  of  Male- Adminif  ration,  what  is  then  to 
be  done  ?  Has  not  your  Platform  given  to  the  Elderfhip 
the  Power  of  calling  the  Church  together,  and  allowed 
them  to  permit  Speech  or  command  Silence  in  the  Church  ? 
How  then  can  the  Church  come  at  them  ?  And  after 
what  Marnier  fhould  they  teftify  their  Diflike  of  their 
Proceedings  ? 

I  anfwer,  as  our  wife  and  pious  Fathers  have  alrea- 
dy anfwered,  that,  altho*  Church-Government  or  Rule 
be  placed  by  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  in  the  Officer: 
of  the  Church,  who  therefore  may  be  called  Rulers  while 
they  rule  with  GOD  ;  yet,  in  Cafe  of  Male -Adminift ra- 
tion, they  are  fubjeel  to  the  Power  of  the  Church  (q)  ; 
And,  if  it  fhall  appear  to  the  Church  that  an  Elder 

hath 


(q)  Platform  of  Chuich  Difcipline*  Chap.  X.  Sect-  7 


C8o) 

hath  offended  incorrigibly,  they  have  Power  according  to 
Order  (the  Couni'el  of  other  Churches  where  it  may  be 
had  directing  to  it  J  to  remove  him  from  his  Office ;  and 
being  now  but  a  Member,  in  Cafe  he  Jhould  add  Contu- 
macy to  his  Sin,  the  Church,  that  had  Power  to  receive 
him  into  their  Fellowfhip,  hath  Power  alfo  to  caft  him  out 
cs  any  other  Member  (r) :  So  that,  as  the  Church  puts 
forth  a  twofold  Aft  in  receiving  a  Paftor  into  Member- 
Jhip  and  in  chufing  him  to  Office,  they  may  alfo  by  Parity 
of  Reafon  put  forth  a  twofold  Aft  in  removing  him  from 
his  Office  and  from  his  Member  Jhip,  Some  imagine, 
that  there  are  two  diftinct  Cafes  mentioned  in  thefe 
two  Sections  of  the  Platform,  that  in  the  former  Cafe  a 
Plurality  of  Rulers  in  a  Church  is  fuppofed,  who  are 
guilty  of  Male-Adminiftration,  and  that  in  the  latter  it 
is  luppofed  that  a  particular  Elder  is  guilty  of  an 
Offence  and  incorrigible  under  it :  And  it  is  very  pro- 
bable, that  they  are  in  the  Right :  But  I  have  put  the 
PafTages  together  ;  concluding,  as  I  think  rightly,  that, 
if  a  Plurality  of  Elders  in  a  Church  befubjeft  to  the  Power 
of  the  Church  in  Cafe  of  Male-ildminiitration,  doubtiefs 
a  particular  offending  and  incorrigible  Elder  muft  be 
much  more  fubjeci  to  their  Power:  And,  if  Counfel 
from  other  Churches  be  not  requifite  in  the  former  Cafe, 
much  lefs  in  the  latter :  But,  if  it  be  requifite  or  con- 
venient in  the  latter  Cafe,  why  mould  it  not  be  in  the 
former  alfo?  So  that,  upon  thefe  Accounts,  I  may 
very  confidently  blend  the  fixth  and  feventh  Para- 
graphs recited  from  the  Platform  together. 

That  the  Power  of  the  Church  extends  to  the  De- 
pfition  of  their  Elders, —  This  feems  to  be  a  pretty  ma- 
riifeft  Cafe :  For,  if  the  Church  have  Power  to  chufe 
their  Officers  and  Minifters  -,  then,  in  Cafe  of  manifefi 
iJvworthinefs  and  Delinquency,  they  have  Power  alfo  to 
depofe  them  :  For  to  open  andjhut,.  to  chufe  and  refufe,  to 
conftituie  in  Office  and  remove  from  Office  are  Afts  be- 
longing 


(r)  Phtfoim.  Chap,  X,  Se&.  6* 


(  8i)  ' 

longing  to  the  fame  Power,  as  our  judicious  AnceftorS 
rightly  argue  in  their  Platform  (f)  of  Church-Difci- 
pline. 

And  it  is  entirely  juft  and  reafonable,  that  particular 
Churches  Jhould  have  this  Power :  For  they  are  Ecclefi- 
:aftical  Societies  confederate,  that  is  to  lay,  they  are  Chur- 
ches, before  they  have  Officers  and  even  without  them : 
And,  altho5  they  may  be  in  fuch  a  State  as  this,  yet 
even  then  a  fuhordinate  Ecclefiaftical  Power  is  under  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  Him  delegated  unto 
them :  So  that,  having  the  Nature  and  EJJence  of  a 
Church  as  they  furely  have,  they  may  act  as  fuch  :  And, 
as  it  is  natural  to  all  Societies  and  Bodies  whatfoever  to 
preferve  themfelves,  the  Churches  of  CHRIST  alio  are 
doubtlefs  furnijhed  with  fujficient  Power  for  their  ozvm 
Prefervation  and  comfortable  Subjiftence{t).  It  follows 
therefore,  that,  if  the  Elder  of  a  particular  Church 
mould  be  found  guilty  of  Male- Adminift  rat  ion  and  break 
in  upon  the  known  and  fundamental  Privileges  which 
every  Chriftian  Society  has  in  common  with  other 
Societies,  that  particular  Church  may  and  ought,  from 
a  facred  Regard  to  the  Law  of  Self  Prefervation,  to 
depofe  fuch  an  arbitrary  and  tyrannical  Elder,  if  upon 
their  Admonitions  he  do  not  repent  and  give  them 
Satisfaction. 

Nor  indeed  can  it  well  be  difputed,  that  the  Churches 
in  the  Days  of  primitive  Chriftianity  were  pofleiTed  of 
this  moil  valuable  Right  and  Privilege  •,  when  there  are 
fuch  Teftimonies  in  the  ancient  approved  Writers, 
which  fully  demonftrate  it. 

It  is  as  clear  as  the  Light  from  that  defervedly  prizM 
Remain  of  Antiquity,  Clement's  firlt  Epiiije  to  the 
Corinthians,  which  is  worthy  of  frequent  Citations  from 
it,  that  the  Church  of  Corinth  ay  that  Time  had  a:a!  exer- 
cifed   this  Privilege :    For,  he   lavs  to    them  in    that 

M  Epiftle, 

(f)  Platform.  Chap.  VIII.  S  ' 
(0  Eiuld,  Chap,  X,  S.  *. 


(80 

EpUtle,  We  'perceive  that  ye  have  removed  fome,  whs 
have  -performed  their  Office  well,  from  the  Miniftry  which 
they  were  thought  to  deferve,  as  having  no  Fault  to  be 
found  with  them  :  Te  are  too  contentious.  Brethren,  and 
too  hot  about  thefe  Things  which  appertain  not  to  Salva- 
tion (u)  :  Now  is  it  not  very  plain  from  thefe  Paffages, 
that  the  Corinthians  had  depofed  and  laid  afide  their 
Minifters,  merely  becaufe  in  leffer  or  dif put  able  Points 
their  Judgments  did  not  pleafe  them  ?  5Tis  true  the  good 
Clement  blames  them,  and  it  mud  be  confeffed  that 
they  deferved  to  be  blamed,  for  calling  off  thofe  Per- 
fons,  who  had  holily  and  unblameoMy  performed  the  Duties 
cf  their  Epifcopacy :  But  Clement  never  twits  or 
blames  them  at  all  for  exercifing  a  Power  which  did  not 
belong  unto  them  :  No,  far  from  it :  All  that  he  faults 
them  for,  and  indeed  all  that  can  be  objected  againft 
them,  is,  that  they  exercifed  the  Power,  of  which  they 
were  pofTeiTed,  in  an  irregular  Manner,  when  the  Occa* 
/ton  did  not  require  it. 

And  it  is  alfo  certain,  that  the  particular  Churches  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  enjoy'd  this  Privilege,  at 
leaft  until  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  eighth  2'ear  after 
Christ?  For,  in  that  Year,  a  Synod  convened,  in 
which  Cyprian  prefided :  And  that  Synod  approv'd 
and  commended  the  Proceedings  of  fome  Churches* 
who  had  depofed  their  Bifhops,  upon  the  Application 
of  thofe  Churches  to  the  Synod  in  order  to  obtain  their 
Opinion  concerning  their  Conduct. 

As  for  Cyprian*sowu  Judgment  in  this  Matter^ 
it  may  eafily  be  feen  by  reading  fome  of  his  Epiftles : 
For,  in  one  of  his  Epiftles,  he  exprefly  acknowleges, 
that  in  his  Time  the  People  had  the  Power,  as  of  chufing 
worthy  Minifters,  fo  likewife  of  refufing  and  cafting  off 
thofe  who  were  not  fo  (v) -,    and  in  another  Epiftle,  he 

affirms, 


(u)  vid.  QUmcnt.  hpift.  I,  ad  Corinth, 
(v)  Cypian*  Epift..  4. 


(83) 

affirms,  that  this  Power  belongs  to  the  Churchy  and  that 
it  was  given  to  the  Church  by  Divine  Authority  (w). 

And  the  learned  Or i gen  was  of  the  fame  Mind: 
For  he  freely  declar'd  to  his  People,  If  I  feem  to  you  to 
be  a  right  Hand,  and  am  call'd  a  Prefbyter  and  feem  to 
-preach  the  Word  of  GOD  ;  yet,  if  I  Jhall  do  any  "Thing 
contrary  to  Ecclefiafiical  Discipline  and  the  Ride  of  the 
Gofpel,  fo  that  1  give  Scandal  or  Offence  to  the  Churchy 
let  the  whole  Church  confpire  and  with  one  Confent  cut  me 
off,  alt  ho'  I  am  their  Right  Hand  (x). 

But,  if  for  the  fake  of  Peace  it  fhould  be  granted, 
that  this  Power  is  too  great  for  the  Brethren,  and  that 
they  have  not  fufEcient  Authority  for  it ;  may  we  not 
then  fay,  that  they  may  withdraw  from  their  Male- ad-? 
miniftring  Elders,  and  that  there  cannot  be  any  reafona- 
ble  Objection  againft  fuch  a  Withdraw  from  them  p 
Truely  we  may  well  fay  this,  and  it  may  very  well  be 
granted  us ;  For,  as  every  particular  Church  fets  up 
their  Prefbytery  by  profefjing  their  Subjection  to  them  in 
the  Lord  ;  even  fo,  when  they  walk  diforderly  in  their 
Office  and  are  chargeable  with  Male- Adminift  ration  in  it, 
then  they  may  avoid  the?n  and  profeffedly  withdraw  their 
Subjeclion  to  them :  So  that,  if  according  to  the  Opinion 
of  fome,  the  Brethren  mould  not  have  the  Pozver  of 
depofing  their  Elders ;  yet,  if  they  have  the  Power  and 
Liberty  of  withdrawing  from  them  on  requifite  Occali- 
ons,  which  cannot  be  denied  them,  they  have  what  is 
tantamount  to  the  Depofing  Power,  at  leaf  with  refpeel 
to  themfelves. 

And,  that  the  Churches  have  this  Pewer  and  Liberty^ 
.we,  may  fafely  argue  from  our  Apoftle's  Inftruction  to 
the  Church  of  Rome,  in  Rom.  XVI.  17.  where  he 
befeeches  them  to  mark  fuch  as  caufi  Divifions, — and 
avoid  them,  or  withdraw  from  them  1  For,  our  Apoftle, 
forefeeing  by  the  Holy  Spirit  enli^htning  him,  the 

M  2  vaft 

(w)  Cyprian,  Epifo  68. 

fy  Qngen,  in  Job,  Cap.  VI?V 


C84) 

vaft  Occafion  of  giving  this  Counfel  to  the  Church  at 
Rome,  therefore  affectionately  and  faithfully  gave  it* 
and  entreated  that  Church  to  make  Ufe  of  this  Liberty, 
as  there  mould  be  Occafion  for  fo  doing :  And  it  is  a 
juft  Obfervation  ofALARDus  upon  the  Text,  that  the 
Word  which  we  render  here  mark  is  a  Military  Term 
deriv'd  from  the  Speculator  es  or  Centinels  upon  a  Watch- 
Tower,  who  are  conftantly  to  mind  and  obferve  and 
tell  the  Motions  of  an  Enemy :  So  that  the  Romans 
are  entreated,  after  their  Example,  to  take  fpecial  No- 
tice of  their  Elders  in  their  Adminiftrations,  and  proper- 
ly to  withdraw  from  fuch  of  them  as  caufe  Divijwns  and 
Offences. 

And  this  Right  and  Liberty  of  the  Brethren,  for  which 
we  plead,  is  fo  fully  reprefented  by  Cyprian,  and  fo 
ftrongly  proved  to  belong  to  them  from  PafTages  which 
he  urges  cut  of  the  old  and  new  Teftament  that  I  mall  refer 
you  unto  him  (y) :  In  the  mean  Time  I  cannot  but 
tranfcribe  a  few  Sentences  from  him ;  For  this  Caufe,  fays 
he,  the  People  obedient  to  the  Commands  of  the  LORD 
and  fearing  GOD  ought  to  feparate  themfelves  from  a 
wicked  Bijhop  :  For  they  principally  have  the  Power  of 
chufing  worthy  Priefts  and  rejecting  the  unworthy,  which 
comes  from  Divine  Authority  (2).  Nor  may  I  omit  the 
Teitimony  of  the  prodigioufly  learned  Grot  1  us  with 
reference  to  this  Right  of  the  People  in  the  early  Ages 
of  Chrillianity  :  Nov/,  he  teftifi.es,  that  it  was  not  only 
the  Right  of  the  People  to  flee  and  avoid  an  unfaithful 
Paftor,  but  that  fuch  a  Paftor  by  virtue  of  the  Sentence 
againfi  him  loft  his  P  aft  oral  Right  and  whatfoever  of  that 
Kind  was  once  afcribed  unto  him  (c). 

To 

■  ■'  1 1   »■      ■         I..       !■  " '  ' '  ■  ■ 

(y)  vid."£^jpV/fl»,  Epift.  68. 

(2)  Pfepte*  quod  Vlebi  obfequens  T*&ctft'u  Dominicis  &  Deum 
vmutns  a  Ie:caiore  Vt&pofuo  ftp  crave  fe  debet,— qua?ido  ipfamaxitne 
bahtt  Vortfrracm  vel  tl'igtndi  dignos  Sactt dctes  vclind/gnos  rccuf~ 
cndi  :  £hi~d  Qf  ipfum  videmus  de  Dimna  Juthoritate  defcendere, 
CyptittH  Epift.  68. 

(c)  Ncquc  tantum  rajlorcmirfidum  fugcre  this  Jus  vat,  fed 


To  conclude;  As  Jesus  Christ  has  made  thefe 
Churches  free  in  this  Liberty ;  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that 
they  will  ftand  faft  in  it  and  exercife  it,  as  Occafion 
fhall  require,  nor  fitffer  their  Paftors  under  their  Male- 
Adminiftrations  to  deprive  them  of  it. 


Chapter  V. 

The  Privilege  of  thefe  Churches  to  ex~ 
cept  againji  fuch  Perfons  as  are  difqua-, 
lifted  for  Communion  among  them, 
vindicated. 

IN  our  Opinion  the  compofng  Churches  of  Habitual 
Sinners,  and  that  either  with  refpedt  to  Sins  of 
Omifllon  or  Commiffion,  inftead  of  erecling  Temples  to 
the  Honour  of  GOD  and  the  Redeemer,  would  be  only 
the  fetting  up  Synagogues  of  Satan  and  Chappels  to  the 
Devil. 

Thefe  Churches  indeed  are  Far  from  denying  the 
Communion  unto  any  Perfon  whatfoever,  whofe  Duty 
it  may  be  to  afk  the  Favour  of  enjoying  it :  Nor  do  we 
oppofe  the  Right  and  Intereft  of  any  baptized  Perfon  m 
our  Churches  \  but,  conformably  to  the  univerfal  Prac- 
tice 


Paftor  tali:  vi  Sententia  in  ipfum  yrolata  Jus  PaJlo>a!e,  &  quic> 
quid  Mi  afcribebatuY%  am'ittebaU  Grot*  De  Imper.  Sum.  Poteft 
Circ.  Sacra,  p.  *|i. 


C86  j 

eke  of  the  primitive  Churches  after  the  Deceafe  of  the 
Apoftles,  we  advife  them  to  fuch  Methods  as  will  qua- 
lify them  for  a  Reception  to  the  Glory  of  CHRIST^  and 
to  partake  of  Divine  Ordinances  to  their  own  fpiritnal 
Edification. 

The  Things,  which  we  judge  requifite,  abfolutely 
rcquifite,  in  all  thofe  that  would  enjoy  the  Communion 
in  thefe  Churches,  are  Repentance  towards  GOD,  and 
Faith  towards  our  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST,  and  a  fixed 
Reflation  to  lead  a  Life  of  Piety  and  Vertue  :  And  we 
think,  that  fuch  as  are  fincere  in  thefe  Things,  altho* 
they  fhould  be  but  weak  Chriftians,  hut  Bales  in 
CHRIST (&),  may  not  neverthelefs  be  excluded  nor 
yet  difcouraged  from  attending  the  Communion  with 
us  in  our  Churches. 

But  however  we  expe6b,  and  we  may  well  expect, 
that  all,  who  are  fincere  in  thefe  Things  and  are  de- 
firous  of  Communion  in  thefe  Churches,  mould  make 
Profeffwn  of  their  Faith  and  Repentance  and  Refoluti- 
pns  for  a  good  Life :  And  we  proteft,  that  we  cannot 
admit  any  into  full  Communion  and  an  actual  Partici- 
pation in  all  the  Privileges  of  our  Churches,  without 
fuch  a  Profeffwn,  and  unlefs  this  Profeffwn  he  recojn- 
mended  by  a  moral  and  Chriftian  Conduit :  For,  without 
fitch  a  Profeffwn,  and  fuch  a  correfponding  Conduct  ^  there 
is  no  Perfon,  that  manifefts  himfelf  meet  and  qualified 
for  obtaining  an  Intereft  in  the  Privileges  of  any  pure 
Society  of  Chriftians. 

Thefe  Churches  therefore  may  lawfully  require  the 
making  fuch  a  Profeffion  and  that  it  fhould  be  adorned 
in  the  Conduct  of  thofe  that  expect  Communion  with 

them ; 


{Sc)  I  have  heard  or  read  Comewhere,  that  my  great  Grand- 
father, the  holy  and  learned  Mr.  COTTON,  once  faid  to  his 
Congregation,  th&tt?fany  Per/on,  tho*  a  poor  Indian  fiould  Jlep 
forth  and  fay,  I  love  the  LORD  JESUS  CHRISTin  Sincerity 
and  Truth, andjhnuld  ttfiify  his  WiUingncfs  to  walk  according  to 
the  Go/pelt  thq  his  Defect j  \x$rt great  for\(^noyance  and  the  Llk^ 
He  jbouldjp  for  admitting  him  to  the  LQRQ't  Table* 


C37  ) 

them :  Nay  they  ought  peremptorily  to  infift  upon 
thefe  Things :  For  particular  Churches  will  never*^--' 
ferve  or  recover  their  bright  eft  Glory,  unlefs  they  are 
careful  as  to  thefe  Matters. 

And,  as  particular  Churches  may  and  mould  demand 
the  witneffing  of  a  good  ConfeJJion  from  thofe  that  offer 
themfelves  to  their  Communion  •,  fo  it  is  reafonable  and 
proper,  that  the  Candidates  for  Communion  mould  com- 
ply with  the  Demand :  For,  as  is  well  obferved  in  one 
of  the  Homilies  of  the  Church  of  England  for  JVhitfunday, 
If  any  Man  be  a  dumb  Chriftian,  not  prof  effing  his  Faith 
openly,  but  cloaking  and  colouring  himfelf  for  Fear  of 
Danger,  he  giveth  Men  Occafion  juftly  and  with  good 
Confcience  to  doubt,  left  he  have  not  the  Grace  of  the 
HOLT  GHOSF  within  him,  becaufe  he  is  Tongue-tied 
and  doth  not  fpeak. 

I  cannot  tell,  whether  in  any  of  the  Reformed  Chur- 
ches abroad  fuch  an  open  Profeffion  of  Chriftianity  before 
the  Church  be  required  of  the  Candidates  for  Commu- 
nion :  But  this  I  know  that  the  very  learned,  judicious, 
pious  and  modefl  Witsius  of  Utrecht,  has  wijbed  the 
Cuftom  to  prevail  in  their  Churches  (a),  that  fuch  as  are 
admitted  to  the  holy  Communion  mould  publickly  in 
the  Light  and  Audience  of  the  whole  Church  profeis 
the  Lord;  which,  adds  he,  fuch  as  refufe  to  do,  either 
before  an  Ajfembly,  or  a  Pallor  in  private,  making  I 
know  not  what  Excufes,  I  would  admonifh  them  again 
and  again  to  confider  what  our  Lord  has  pronounced 
concerning  them  who  are  afhamed  of  Him  and  His 
Sayings. 

Some 


(a)  Opt andum  foret  idem  noftns  quoque  in  Ecchfus  in  ufu  ej[et 
vtl  jalttm  ut  it,  qui  ad  /scram  admutuntur  Synaxim^  puhius 
etiam,  iofpedante  &  audiente  iota  tcclefia,  profiferen  ur  Do* 
minum  -,  quod  qui  vel  cot  am  Syr.edno  vclcotam  Pafture  pnvat  m 
facete  rcnuunt^efcia  quid  cauJiJicantesjEcs  moviwi  volo  a;am  atiut 
etiam  cogitenty  quid  Dominus  tie   Hi  pronuncat^  quos  fui  acber- 

monum  Luorum  pudugriu     Whuf  in  Symb,  £kcicii.  lit  De 


(83) 

Some,  we  are  fenfible,  in  the  prefent  Times  of  De- 
generacy and  Corruption  are  bitter  Enemies  to  the 
Churches  having  and  exercifmg  this  Privilege,  and 
plead  that  the  Elders  of  the  Churches  only  are  pofTefs'd 
of  this  Right  and  they  only  mould  improve  it. 

But j  when  the  Brethren  of  the  Churches  are  not  duely 
apprized  of  the  Fitnefs  of  thofe  who  offer  themfelves 
as  Candidates  for  Communion  with  them,  by  the  Pro- 
feffton  which  they  make,  and  by  ordering  their  Conver- 
fations  according  to  it ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  have  Rea- 
fon  to  be  diffatisfied  about  their  Fitnefs,  as  they  will 
frequently  have  Reafon  to  be,  where  the  Elders  only 
have  the  Management  of  fuch  Affairs,  their  Liberty  in 
fuch  Churches  is  manifeftly  invaded  and  infringed. 

The  Brethren  in  our  Churches  may  poffibly  be 
wrought  upon  fo  far  as  to  part  with  this  Privilege  to 
nnreafonable  Claimers  of  it :  But,  befides  the  Dijhonour 
fefulting  from  fuch  a  tame  Refignation  of  a  valuable 
Right,  our  Brethren  ought  to  confider  the  bad  Confe- 
rence, the  vaft  Mifchief,  of  parting  with  it :  There 
cannot  indeed  be  a  greater  Inlet  to  Corruption  than  this  i 
for  Churches  mufl  unavoidably  be  corrupted  and  the 
Ordinances  miferably  defiled  in  them,  while  the  unworthy 
are  freely  received  into  them  and  the  Brethren  have 
-not  the  Power?  as  they  have  the  Right,  of  refufingfuch 
Perfons, 

ihe  Reafon  of  the  Thing  therefore  is  fufficient  for  the 
Juftification  of  thefe  Churches  in  the  Ufe  of  their  Li- 
berty to  judge  concerning  the  Qualifications  of  thofe  that 
offer  themfelves  to  their  Communion  :  But  we  have  Scrip- 
tural Authority  and  Exa?nple  befides,  in  favour  of  the 
Brethren's  Power  and  Liberty  to  propound  any  juft  and 
reafonable  Exceptions  againft  fuch  Perfons  as  appear  dif- 
qualified  for  AdmifTion  into  their  Communion  and  the 
Privileges  confequent  upon  fuch  an  Admiffion :  For  the 
Apoflle  Piter  himfelf  would  not  admit  the  Family 
of  Cornelius  to  Baptifm,  until  he  had  enquired  of 

:  Brethren  whether  any  of  them  had  any  Thing  to 

object 


C  89  ) 

Dbjecl  againfl  the  Admiffion  of  them,  as  in  A<5t.  3£.  47. 
And  we  read  concerning  Saul,  that,  offering  himfdf 
to  the  Communion  of  the  Church  at  Jerufalem,  he  was 
not  immediately  admitted  into  it,  but  kept  off  from  it» 
until  the  Exception  which  was  taken  againft  him  by  the 
Difciples  was  removed^  as  in  Ac~t.  IX.  26  and  27 
Verfes. 

And  the  moft  primitive  Antioidtys  next  to  the  Days 
of  the  Apoftles,  has  taught  theie  Churches  to  be  careful 
clout  their  Admiffions  into  Communion:  *Tis  true  in 
the  extraordinary  Converfions  to  Chriftianity  which 
were  made  among  the  Jews,  they  were  all  immediately 
added  to  the  Church :  And  it  is  not  much  to  be  wondred 
at  that  they  were  fo,  becauie  they  were  before  acquaint- 
ed with  the  Law  and  the  Frophets,  and  were  already 
brought  into  the  Covenant  of  God  :  But  afterwards  the 
Churches  did  not  make  it  their  ordinary  Practice  im- 
mediately to  admit  Perfons  into  full  Communion ;  but 
kept  them  as  Catechumens^  that  fo  their  Knowlege 
might  be  encreafed  and  the  Truth  of  their  ProfefTion 
might  be  tried,  until  they  were  judged  qualified  for 
joining  to  the  Church  and  enjoying  complete  Commu- 
nion in  it. 

And  this  is  a  Thing  that  appears,  not  only  from 
Justin  Martyr,  who  afTerts,  that  none  were  al- 
lowed to  communicate  in  the  Church  in  his  Time  hut 
fitch  as  were  baptized  and  believed  the  Dotlrines  of 
Chriftianity  and  lived  according  to  the  Laws  of  JESUS 
CHRIST;  but  it  is  alfo  manifeit  from  numberlefs 
ancient  Writers,  that  the  Baptized  were  of  old  confirmed 
before  they  were  admitted  into  Communion,  and  that 
in  feme  of  the  primitive  Churches  none  could  be  re- 
ceived into  full  Communion  or  be  perfecl  among  them, 
until  he  had  given  fomc  Evidence  of  a  Principle  of 
Goodnefs  within  him. 

Nor  is  it  a  Matter  of  much  BllEcultv  to  prove,  that 
in  the  Primitive  Times  none  were  received  to  the  Pro- 
feSion  of  Chriftianity,  unlefs  they  had  firil  given  forne 

N  Evidences 


(90) 

Evidences  of  their  Sincerity  ;    either  by  enduring  fome 
initiatory  Penances,  as  three  Bays  Fafting,  which  Was 
prefcribed  in  the  Time  of  the   Author  of  the   falfe 
'Clementine  Recognitions  (o)  -,  or  by  giving  fome  Experi- 
ment of  real  Service,     Thus  Arnobius  was  not  trufted 
until  he  had  written   in  Defence  of  the  Chriftian  Re- 
ligion:  And  Cyril  of  Jerufale?n  in  his  Homilies  to 
the  Ccmpetentes  is  very  earneft  in  urging  the  Neceffity 
cf  a  fincere  and  cordial  Intention :  And  it  was  from  the 
great  Caution  of  admitting  the  Pagans  to  the  Intuition 
of  their  Myfteries,  that  even  Adults  were  not  admitted 
after  all  the  Manifeftations  of  their  Sincerity  without 
the  Testimony  of  Sufceptors  or  Godfathers,  Perfons  of 
approved  Gravity  and  Sincerity  (x) :  Tho'  this  was  not 
always  infilled  on.      But,  among  the  Inftances  to  be 
found  in  ancient  Writers  of  their  Care  in  early  Times 
to  keep  their  Communions  pure,   perhaps  there  was 
fcarce  any  one  more  remarkable  than  that  with  re- 
ference to  Victorinus:  He,  you  muft  know,  was 
a  famous  Rhetorician  at  Rome,  who,  on  the  Account  of 
his  Eminence  and  Fame,  had  a  public  Statue  erected 
to  his  Honour :  And  He,  by  Reading  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures,  of  a  ftrong  and  zealous  Pagan,  became  a  Chrifti- 
an: This  He  confefTed  privately  to  Simplician: 
But  Pie  would  not  believe  Him,  unlefs  He  confefs'd  it 
puHickly  in  the  Church  alfo :  To  this  He  at  firft  anfwer'd 
with  Scorn,  What  I  are  they  then  the  Walls  of  a  Church 
that  make  a  Chriftian  ?  But  afterwards  He  became  fen- 
fible  of  his  Fault,  and  was  afraid  of  being  denied  by  the 
blefifed  Jesus  at  the  laft  among  fuch  as  refufe  to  confefs 
Him:  Whereupon  He  came  to  Simplician  and 
was  inftructed  and  baptized  :  And,  being  to  make  the 
accuftomed  Confeflion,  the  Liberty  of  Privacy  was  then 
offered  Him  :  But  He  would  not  accept  of  the  Offer  { 

No, 


(o)  Pfcudo  Clement.  Recog.  L.  III.  &.  VI. 

(x;  Hen.  Dodwel's  Pref.  to  his  two  Letters  of  Advice* 


(9*   ) 

No,  faid  He,  /  will  make  my  Confejfwn  before  all  tfe 
People  (z)-. 

It  mud  be  confefifed  indeed,  that,  as  it  was  ufual 
among  the  Primitive  Chriftians  to  imitate  the  Heathens 
too  far  in  feveral  Refpects  referring  to  their  facred 
Rites,  they  particularly  diftributed  their  Converts  into 
two  Clajfes  according  to  the  Pagan  Style :  For,  as 
among  the  Pagans  there  were  Learners  and  Hhaninated 
Perfons ;  thus  we  find  in  the  Fathers  thefe  two  very 
frequently  mentioned :  And  in  them,  as  the  Perfons  are 
diftinguifhed,  fo  are  their  Duties  and  Privileges :  And 
it  mull  be  acknowleged,  that  the  Apoftle  Paul  fre- 
quently alludes  to  thefe  Diftinclions,  and  that  the  ancient 
Divines  afterwards  made  an  ill  Ufe  of  thofe  Allu- 
fions. 

But,  altho'  the  Improvements  which  were  made  of 
fuch  Diftinctions  proved  in  Procefs  of  Time  not  only 
fuperfluous,  but  alfo  very  prejudicial  to  Chriftianity ; 
neverthelefs,  that  Things  may  be  done  agreable  to  Rea- 
fin  and  Prudence,  and  that  all  Things  may  be  performM 
decently  and  in  Order  according  to  Apoftolical  Directi- 
on, the  Churches  mould  be  careful  not  at  once  to  admit 
the  Learners  among  the  Illuminated :  For  there  is  no 
Divine  Warrant  nor  any  Reafon,  why  fuch  as  are  not  ca- 
pable of  witneffmg  a  good  Confeffion  and  have  not  mani- 
fefted  their  Faith  and  the  Truth  of  their  Profeflion  by 
their  Works  mould  be  fovour'd  with  equal  Privileges  to 
thofe  who  are  capable  of  thefe  Things. 

Wherefore,  upon  the  whole,  let  the  Elders  of  the 
Churches  be  as  careful  as  they  pleafe  in  their  Examina- 
tions of  fuch  as  prefent  themfelves  for  Candidates  of 
Communion,  and  let  them  endeavour  to  be  fully  certw 
Jied  of  their  Fitnefs  for  complete  Fellowfhip  ♦,  but,  at 
the  fame  Time,  let  not  thefe  Churches  be  negligent  of  their 
Duty,  but  except  againft  all,  whom  they  think  to  be 
difqualified  for  Communion  with  them,  either  by  Reafon 

N  z  of 

(?)  Jugvjtin,  Confeifion  1»  §?  c»  |» 


C  9--  ) 

cf  the  pernicious  Opinions  which  they  may  hold  and 
vent,  or  by  Reajbn  of  the  vicious  and  unchrifiian  Lives 
that  they  lead :  For  it  is  their  Duty  not  to  he  Partakers 
in  other  Men's  Sins,  but  rather  to  reprove  them  and  keep 
them/elves  pure :  And  how  can  they  comply  with  this 
Puty,  unlefs  they  ieftify  againft  the  deftruclive  Opinions 
end  unbecoming  Behaviours  of  fuch  as  offer  themfelves  to 
the  Communion  among  them  ?  I  cannot  therefore  but 
conclude  this  Chapter  in  the  Style  of  Laurentius; 
As  Negligence,  fays  He,  with  refpecJ  to  Doclrine  caufes 
Herefies  •,  fo  Negligence  in  Difcipline  produces  Confufion 
and  Scandals  :  Nor  can  the  Church  of  CHRIST  conjifi 
without  it  any  more  than  a  Commonwealth  or  School  or 
any  other  Society :  Wherefore  we  ought  moft  ftudioufly 
tp  exerqfe  it  (y). 


&  .%  .%  .*.  .£•  *.  *.  •£• .%  .£. 1 }  &  •%  £•  -f  .%  •%  ?  •%  1 \  -t •  .*.  & 

Chap.  VI, 
SI  f  ■§  ♦*•  f  §  *  f  §  §  -$•  •*•  f  f  *  §  -*•  *#  *  f*  -?  -v 


(y J  Siiffif  Negligtntia  in  Doftrina  H&refes  eavfat,  Ua  Negligently 
in  1) i f c i  p  1  i n a.  Cok/i ijimem  &Scanda!a  :  fleque  magisfwe  bac  Ecclefia 
CHXiSJI—  ucle  legipQteJi  cut  eonfijierc,  quam  vel  He f pub,  vel 
O economic  civiln  vel  Schola  vel  uUiit  Con-centum  —  ^jt a  propter 
fiudtofijfijue  hmc  epereeri  ju£it  in  Ecclejiis  Dei  Jpoftolus  Paulus8 
(jf  ipjceqm  exercutt,  Laurent*  Espofit.  Sept*  tpiHol.  Horn* 
IK.  p?*o*. 


(93) 

Chapter  VI. 

The  Right  of  the  Brethren  in  thefe 
Churches  to  deal  with  their  Chriftian 
Brethren  in  private  and  to  judge  in 
public^  Scandals  opened  and  con- 
firmed. 


THE  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ  in  this  Land 
are  of  Opinion,  that,  not  only  the  Minifters  or 
Elders  or  Bifhops  of  the  Churches,  but  all  the  Chriflians 
alfo  which  compofe  them,  have  the  Care  of  their  Bre- 
thren j  and  that  every  Chriftian,  by  the  Authority  of 
Jesus  Christ,  may  confirm  and  efiablijh  his  Brethren 
in  Knowlege  and  Faith,  and  exhort  them  to  proceed  in  the 
Ways  of  Religion  and  Goodnefs ;  and  that,  if  any  of  his 
Brethren  mould  fubfide  either  into  fatal  DoElrinal 
Errors  or  irregular  Behaviours,  every  Chriftian  mould 
ufe  his  Endeavour  to  reduce  them  from  their  Errors  in 
Judgment  and  the  Irregularities  of  their  Conduct  to 
the  Truth  of  the  Chriftian  Doctrine,  and  a  diligent 
Conformity  to  the  Divine  Precepts :  This  is  the  Opi- 
nion of  thefe  Churches  \  and  the  Reformation  of  Chur- 
ches by  this  Difcipline,  wherein  Love  without  Diffimu- 
lation  is  exercifed,  we  judge  to  be  the  only  Method  of 
recovering  Evangelical  Love  out  of  its  Languifhments 
and  reftoring  it  to  its  primitive  Vigour  and  Glory. 

The  Necejftty  of  fuch  a  Difcipline  as  this  in  particular 
Churches^  appears  to  us  very  clear  from  thofe  various 
Paflfages  in  the  New  Teftament  which  require  the  ex- 
grctfe  of  it  among  Chriftians, 

Our 


(94   ) 

Our  blelTed  Saviour  has  exprefly  enjoined,  as  in 
Mat.  XVIII.  15,  If  thy  Brother  Jhall  trefpafs  againft 
Thee,  go  and  tell  him  his  Fault  between  Thee  and  Him 
done :  If  He  Jhall  hear  Thee,  Thou  haft  gained  thy  Bro- 
ther. Which  Injunction,  altho'  it  fpeaks  concerning 
the  Offence  of  a  Neighbour  againft  his  Chriftian  Brother, 
neverthelefs,  as  every  true  Chriftian  cannot  but  think 
that  every  Offence  againft  GOD  is  a  Trefpafs  againft 
Himfelf,  therefore  it  may  well  reach,  and  indeed  ought 
to  reach,  to  every  Sin  and  Tranfgreffion  whatfoever: 
Now,  befides  the  Dignity  of  the  Perfon  who  gives  this 
Injunction,  the  good  and  ineftimable  Confequence  of  it  is 
to  be  confidered  by  us:  For  our  gracious  Lord  fays, 
If  He  Jhall  hear  Thee,  Thou  haft  gained  thy  Brother, 
that  is,  Thou  haft  brought  Him  over  to  Repentance 
and  Reformation,  and  fo  to  Salvation  and  Happinefs. 
And  it  is  required  by  the  holy  and  infpired  Apoftle,  in 
Gal.  VI.  1,  Brethren,  if  a  Man  be  overtaken  in  a  Fault, 
ye,  which  are  fpiritual,  reftore  fuch  an  one  in  the  Spirit 
of  Meeknefs,  &c :  In  which  Text,  whether  we  take 
fpiritual  to  fignify  Chriftians  in  general,  or  fuch  as  were 
eminent  in  the  Church  for  fpiritual  Knowledge  and  Gifts, 
as  the  Word  is  fometimes  ufed,  the  Senfe  is  plain  and 
^afy ;  and  the  Command  is  (trong  to  all  Chriftians, 
efpecially  to  fuch  as  are  advanced  in  fpiritual  Knowledge, 
to  take  a  particular  Care  of  their  offending  Brethren, 
and  fhew  all  that  Tendernefs  and  Lenity  towards  them 
which  is  becoming  the  Gofpel. —  And  how  plain  is  the 
Precept  to  the  Theft alonians,  in  1  Thef.  V.  14,  to  warn 
them  that  are  unruly,  to  comfort  the  feeble-minded,  to  fup- 
port  the  weak,  &c  •,  and  in  Verfe  nth,  to  exhort  and 
edify  one  another. 

It  appears  then  to  be  indifpenfably  neceflary,  that  all 
fuch  as  would  approve  themfelves  to  be  true  Chriftians 
ihould,  from  a  facred  Regard  to  the  Authority  and 
Precepts  of  their  declared  Lord  and  Mafter,  take  the 
moft  watchful  Care  of  their  Brethren  and  continually  ex- 
hort them  to  every  good  Office  and  life  their  beft  Endea- 

VOWS) 


C.w.) 

vours,  as  to  tep  them  from  that  which  is  evil,  fo  to 
recover  them  likewiie  out  of  the  Snares  in  which  they 
may  be  unhappily  entangled. 

And,  as  it  is  neceflary  that  Chriftians  mould  thus 
mew  their  Care  of  their  Brethren,  their  Watchfulnefs 
over  them  •,  it  is  alio  equally  needful,  that  fuch  as  are 
admonifhed,  corretled  and  exhorted  by  their  Chriftian 
Brethren  mould  acknowlege  the  Appointment  of  Christ 
and  fubmit  to  His  Difcipline,  thankfully  receiving  Bro- 
therly Admonition  and  Correction  as  becomes  the  Difciples 
of  the  lowly  Jesus,  and  ftudioujly  conforming  to  the 
fame :  Nor  in  Truth  will  they  demean  themfelves  as  i 
becomes  ferious  Chriftians,  if  they  defpife  fuch  as  from 
the  Word  of  Christ  admonim  and  correct  them: 
For,  if  they  defpife  fitch,  nor  will  hearken  to  their  pious 
Reproofs  and  Exhortations,  they  are  not  the  Difciples  of 
Jesus  Christ  :  For,  whereas  it  is  He  that  fpeaketh 
to  them  by  their  faithful  Reprovers,  they  do  not  fee 
meet  to  hear  Him. 

This  is  the  Difcipline,  concerning  which  we  cannot 
have  too  good  an  Opinion  nor  exprefs  ourfelves  in  too 
lofty  a  Strain :  For  we  may  fay  in  the  Style  of  Cy- 
prian of  this  Difcipline,  that  it  is  wholefome  to  follow 
it,  whereas  Averfenefs  to  it  and  Neglecl  of  it  is  fatal '(&) : 
Nor  have  we  any  Wonder,  that  the  Bohemians  mould 
be  urged  to  be  left  afraid  of  Definition  from  the  Perf- 
cution  of  their  Enemies  than  from  the  Neglecl  of  fuch  an 
holy  Difcipline  {a).  Wherefore  may  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church  always  difpofe  and  enable  us  to  prize  this 
Difcipline  according  to  its  real  Worth  and  Confe- 
quence,  and  to  conform  unto  it  with  the  greateft:  Care 
and  Religion ! 

It 

(&)  Haw  gf  feftaii  falubre  eft  gf  averfari  ac  negligere  ietbale* 
Cyptiin.  Epift.   18. 

(a)  Dt8um  Lucze  Pragenfis— Frattibvs  non  tarn  ab  Hnftivm 
wrfccutionibui  quama  neglccla  Djfcijplina  Inttriium  ejfe  man* 

e»*w-  Jfytfrswtfiri  ?yftem,  H'ft.  Chicn©),  Eccldt 

kslavon.  p.  316.      ~  -        -   .     .  .  ~ 


(90 

It  has  bin  obferved  already,  that  this  Difcipline  &  fa 
"be  adminiftred  by  every  Chriftian  ie)  :  But,  whereas  the 
Method  'wherein  this  Difcipline  Jbcirfd  be  exercifed  ought 
to  be  particularly  known,  this  therefore  is  now  to 
follow :  Now  This,  both  from  the  Prefcription  of  our 
blelTed  Saviour  and  from  the  conflant  Practice  of  the 
Primitive  Church,  appears  to  be  nothing  elfe  but  the 
Application  of  CHRIST* s  Institution  according  to  the 
Circumftances  which  occur  (x). 

Wherefore,  that  fo  this  Difcipline  may  rightly  and 
properly  be  adminiftred,  there  is  a  twofold  Diftinolion  of 
Offences  to  be  obferved  :  For,  while  fome  are  fecret  and 
private,  others  are  public  arid  open  *,  and  fome  are  great  9 
whereas  others  are  comparatively  fmall :  According  to 
which  Diftin&ions,  the  Difcipline  of  Christ  is  to 
be  privately  exercifed  towards  fuch  whofe  Offences  are 
private ;  whereas,  if  the  Offences  of  any  be  public  and 
to  the  Scandal  of  the  Church,  they  are  to  be  publickly 
admonifhed  and  cenfured. 

If  the  Offence,  that  is  committed  by  a  Chriftian  Bro- 
ther, be  private,  provided  two  or  three  are  obfervers  of 
it,  there  fhould  then  be  three  Steps  taken  by  his  Chriftian 
Brethren  in  dealing  with  him  :  Firft  of  all,  one  of  thofe 
who  has  feen  the  Offence  of  his  Brother,  fhould  pri- 
vately admonifh  and  reprove  him  for  it :  And,  if  the 
offending  Brother  defpife  the  Admonition  and  Reproof 
given  him ;  then,  in  the  next  Place,  he,  that  is  ac- 
quainted with  his  Brother's  Offence  and  grieved  at  his 
flighting  his  Brotherly  Correction,  fhould  take  one  or 
two  more  of  his  Brethren  with  him,  that  fo  by  the  Mouth 
of  t-v:o  or  ihnse  Witneffes  the  Regularity  of  the  Procee- 
ding may  be  eftablifhed  :  And,  in  fine,  if  the  offending 
Brother  Jhall  continue  to  fight  the  Admonitions  which  are 

thus 


(e)  Communis  h&c  eft  Doftrina,  ut  nobis  Curs,  fit  Fratrum 
$&lui.     Calvin  in  i  Thef.  V.  14. 

{%)  Pro  divetfit&te  Morborum,  divofitai  aihihenda  eft  Medi- 
cines :  l:ll  corripiendi  nt  jxreant :  Jftj  coflfolandt  funt,  ne  d'ft- 
cianU    ffiirotyifti  in  J  Thsl*.  Vo 


C  97  ) 

thus  duely  given  him,  the  third  and  lafl  Step  to  hi 
taken  is,  to  tell  the  Church  of  his  Fault  and  of  his  Dis- 
regard of  the  Chriftian  Conduct  of  his  Brethren  to- 
wards him. 

But,  if  the  Offence  be  at  firft  public  and  manifeft 
unto  all,  then  there  is  no  need  offuob  a  regular  and 
gradual  Procefs\  but  your  open  and  flagitious  public 
tfranfgreffors  are  at  once  to  be  rebuked  before  all,  that 
ethers  alfo  may  fear,  as  in  i  Tim.  V.  20.  And  yet 
even  this  public  Difcipline  fhould  be  exercifed  according 
£0  the  Diftinclion  of  great  Tranjgreffions  or  compara- 
tively//m//  ones:  according  to  which  Diitinction,  there 
fhould  be  either  a  public  Admonition  and  Reproof  or  a 
Deprivation  of  the  Privileges  of  their  Chriftian  Brethren, 
who  walk  orderly :  For  Admonition  and  Reproof  is  a 
fufficient  Correction  for  fi nailer  public  Offences .  But, 
as  for  grojfer  Sins,  and  Stubbornnefs  under  kind  Admo- 
nitions even  tho'  for  fmaller  Faints,  thefe  deferve  to  be 
punifhed  with  denying  the  further  Enjoyment  of  Com- 
munion and  Ecclefiaitical  Privileges. 

So  then  the  Duty  of  the  Brethren  is  clear,  and  their 
Power  is  great  and  invaluable :  It  is  their  Duty  to  ex- 
postulate with  their  Brethren,  and  as  fuch  to  deal  with 
them,  when  they  are  guilty  of  private  Scandals,  in  a  pri- 
vate Way,  in  a  friendly  and  Chriftian  Manner:  And 
it  is  their  Duty,  Power  and  Privilege  alfo  to  hear  and 
judge  concerning  their  Brethren  in  public  Scandals  >  and, 
as  they  may  forgive  and  receive  fuch  as  are  truely  peni- 
tent, they  may  alfo  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  and  cenfure 
notorious  Offenders:  For,  when  our  Saviour  requi- 
red! a  Chriftian,  that,  if  he  cannot  fucceed  fo  far  as  to 
heal  the  Offence  in  private,  he  iliould  then  tell  the 
Chunky  He  certainly  means  a  particular  or  Congrega- 
tional Church (b),  as  the  famous  Calderwood  makes 

O  evi- 


Cb)  Die  EccMiee— Hie  Locus  prop>.t  $?  primajie  Je  Ecclefiii 
Parucuiaribua  inttU-^ndia  efttmn  d*  Qceumenica  ps  Bjftntiah 

Uve 


C9») 

evident.  And  the  worthy  Bu  l  l  i  n  g  e  r.  has.  given  a 
good  Reafon,  why  it  muft  be  fo,  which  is  agreeable 
to  that  afligned  by  Calderwood  ;    For,  fays  He, 

the  univerfal  Church  can  never  convene  from  all  Parts  of 
the  World,  that  rebellious  Perfons  may  be  brought  before 
it  and  fubmit  unto  it :  Therefore  to  particular  Churches 
muft  the  Judgment  concerning  ftubborn  Offenders  be  broH 
and  referred  (x). 

And  this  Direction  of  our  blefTed  Saviour  necef- 
forily  implies,  that  the  Church  fhould  hear  the  Cafe 
brought  before  them,  make  Enquiry  into  the  State  of  it, 
that  fo  they  may  fee  with  their  own  Eyes  the  Offence 
which  has  bin  committed,  and  then  judge  concerning  the 
Offence  as  they  mould  find  upon  Enquiry. 

Thefe  Things  are  fo  plain  and  obvious  to  common 
Under  {landings,  that  Men  could  never  have  perverted 
the  Senfe  of  our  Saviour's  Words,  if  they  were  de- 
firous  of  attending  to  them  and  obferving  them  :  Nor, 
if  their  Love  to  Truth  were  equal  to  their  Regard  to 
their  Intereft,  could  they  fo  mifunderftand  our  Lord's 
Direction  as  by  a  pretended  Regard  to  it  to  deviate 
from  the  Simplicity  of  the  Gofpel. 

This  is  the  Difcipline,  concerning  which  we  heartily 
fubfcribe  to  the  Declaration  of  the  learned  Zanchy, 
wherein  he  fays,  that  no  one  is  exempted  from  this  Difci- 
pline, whetlier  he  be  an  Elder,  or  a  P aft  or,  or  a  Ma- 
giftrate,  unlefs  they  would  be  exempted  from  the  Number 
of  the  Brethren  and  therefore  of  the  Sons  of  GOD  : 
Wherefore  they  were  mere  Flatterers,  who  contended  that 

the 


five  Reprefentativa:  Nam  deferre  0 ffenfos  ai  Ecclefiam  Oecumerfl- 
cam  Ejfentialem  impnj/ibile  efl —  CHRlSTjJS  amandat  Fideles  ai 
Corivcntum  ordinanum  gf  Remedium  paratijjimum*  Didoclav* 
A'tare  Uamafcen.  p.  io<5. 

(x)  Non  potcft  uviverfalh  Ecclejia  convenire  unquam  ex  tots 
Tervarum  Orbe,  ut  Ei  deferemur  Rebcllei ;  Particularibus  ergo 
defertur  Judicium  de  Contumacious.  Bullinger,  Decad.  V° 
S-im,  1<  £e  S.  Cathol.  Ecclef, 


(9$>) 

the  Pope  of  Rome  could  not  upon  any  Account  have  this 
Difcipline  exercifed  upon  him  (o). 
To  proceed, 

That  the  Church  or  Brethren  have  the  Power  of  Judg- 
ingy  as  has  bin  laid,  may  be  argued  from  fever al  Pajfages 
upon  facred  Record ,  from  which  PafTages  it  is  abun- 
dantly evident,  that  they  gave  their  Determination  and 
Judgment  in  fuch  Cafes  as  properly  came  before 
them. 

Not  to  mention,  that  the  Brethren  of  the  Circumcifion 
expoftulated  with  Peter  about  his  Communion  with 
Cornelius  and  his  Family,  and  that  He  was  fo  far 
from  rejecting  their  Complaint,  as  if  they  had  gone  be- 
yond their  proper  Power  and  Limits,  that  He  readily 
undertook  and  endeavoured  to  give  them  fuitable  Satis- 
faction, as  has  already  bin  obferved. 

We  find,  that  the  Brethren  of  the  Church  of  Corinth 
pafs'd  their  Cenfure  upon  the  Inceftuous  Corinthian: 
And  the  Apoftle  Paul  reproved  them  all,  that  they 
had  no  fooner  put  him  away  from  among  them,  as  in 
i  Cor.  V.  2  •,  and,  at  Verfe  12th,  He  exprefly  afTureth 
them,  that  they  had  the  Power  of  Judging  fuch  as  are 
within  OJ  ;  and,  in  the  next,  the  laft,  Verfe  of  that 
Chapter,  the  Apoftle  requires  it  of  them  all,  that  they 
put  away  the  wicked  Perfon  from  among  them  ;  and,  in 
2  Cor.  II.  7,  He  advifes  the  Brethren,  upon  the  Re- 
pentance of  the  Offender,  to  forgive,  refiore  and  comfort 
him. 

The  fame  Apoftle  alfo  towards  the  Clofe  of  his 
Epiftle  to  the  Galatians,  inftructing  them  in  the  Difci- 

O  2  pline 

(0)  Ah  hac  Difciplhia  nemo  eximitvr,  quicur.que  ille  fit,  five 
Senior,  five  Paftor,  five  fupremus  Magiftratus,  nji  velmt  e  nu- 
mero  Eratnim  toque  Fihorum  Dei  eximu  Proinde  meri  Adulatores 
fuetunt,  qui  Pontificem  Roman,  contenderunt,  non  polle  uila  de 
Caufa  excommunicaii.    Zanch-  De  Ecclef.  p.  MS- 

(x)  Hujufmodi  autem  Difciplina  pertinere  ad  Ecclefim  fatu 
apparet  Ex  toto.  Cap.  V.  Prior,  3d  Corinth*  CnH*  Ethic* 
Ghrift.  1.  IV.  Cap.  XXXI. 


C  ioo  ■) 

pline-o^thc  Chur-ch,  advifes  them  how  to  behave  with 
regret  3£&i ^ their  -corrupt  Teachers:  Laying  down  the- 
fame  Ground  and  Reafon  of  proceeding  againft  them, 
as^againrt  the  lncefuous  Corinthian,  namely,  that  a  little 
L&,.vm.kaveneth  the  whole  Lump,  as  in  Gal.  V.  9 ; 
aru(^>rduming  that  they  would  be  of  the  fame  Mind  i 
with,  him,,  as  in  Verfe  10  and  11  ;  he  then  declares 
w&Qt  Cenfur-e  he  wijhed  might  be  paffed  upon  their  cor- 
rupt Teachers,  as  at  Verfe  12,  I  would  that  they  were 
erjcn  xiit  off  which  trouble  you  :  Which  PafTage  all  the 
Grfek:  Fathers  and  fome  of  the  Latin  oddly  interpret, 
J ' jwijh-  they  were  not  only  circumcifed,  but  even  made 
likc.Uc£.  Priefts  of  the  Mother  of  the  Gods,  who  was 
formerly  worshipped  by  you  of  Galatia  (c) :  But  the 
rnoft  plain  and  natural  ConftrucYion  of  it  is,  I  wiflj  they 
were  cut  off  from  your  Fellowfhip  and  Communion :  And, 
left  it.  mould  be  objected,  that  the  Brethren  had  not 
Power  to  do  this,  therefore  the  Apoftle  annexes  this 
Reafon.,  for,  Brethren,  ye  are  called  unto  Liberty,  And, 
becaufe  it  might  be  argued,  that  fuch  a  Liberty  of  cuU 
ting. off  1 heir  Teachers  being  allowed  would  be  attended 
with  bad  Confequences,  therefore  the  Apoftle  advifes, 
that  they  do  not  ufe  their  Liberty  as  an  Occafion  to  the 
Fleff,  but  fo  as  that  by  Love  they  might  ferve  one 
another :  Now,  if  the  Brethren  have  the  Power  of 
cenfuring  their  corrupt  Teachers,  as  appears  from  thefe 
Hints,  furely  they  may  well  have  the  Privilege  of  cen~ 
firing  I  heir  offending  Brethren. 

And  it  was  likewife  the  Direction  of  the  very  fame 
Apoflie  to  the  whole  Church  at   Theffalonica,  to  with^ 
draw  the  mf elves  from  every  Brother  that  waiketh  difor-  " 
deny,  as  in   2   Thef.  III.  6 :    And  this  Direction  of  ! 
withdrawing  from  fitch  is  much    the  fame   with  that 
wherein    he  requires  them  to  warn  the  unruly,  m  t- 
Thef.  >r.  .14,  or  admonifh  fuch:    Where  the  Word 
which  we  Deflate  unruly  is  the  very  fame  as  this  which:  ^ 

i5 


•MM. 


{<z)  Ft  in  am  nonfolum  citcumcidarttur,fed  etiam  abfeindantur* 


(ioi) 

h  tranflated  disorderly  :  For  this  is  a  Power  belonging 
to  all  the  Members  of  the  Church,  as  is  manifeft  trom 
thefe  Directions  to  them. 

And  it  moreover  appears,  that  particular  Churches 
have  fuch  a  Power  ♦,  becaufe  they  are  chargeable  with 
Guilt,  if  any  Offences  are  committed  by  their  Members 
and  yet  remain  uncenfured  by  them :  Thus  the  Church 
of  Pergamos  is  reproved  as  guilty  of  Offence  for  fuf- 
fering  BALAAM  and  the  Nicolaitans  among  them,  as 
in  Rev.  II.  14  and  15  •,  and,  at  Verfe  20,  Christ 
has  a  few  'Things  againft  the  Church  at  Thyatira  for 
fuffering  Jezebel  among  them:  But,  if  thefe  Chur- 
ches had  not  fufficient  Power  to  turn  out  the  Offenders 
in  them,  it  would  be  hard  to  blame  them  for  the  Holer  a* 
tion  of  them  in  their  Communion.  And  hence  we  may 
conclude,  that,  what  our  Saviour  wrote  to  any  of 
thofe  Churches,  HIS  SPIRIT  fays  to  all  the  Churches: 
So  that,  if  we  would  anfwer  the  Divine  Expectations, 
we  lhould  beware  of  Remiffnefs  in  Difcipline  and  calmly 
tolerating  the  like  Offences  among  ourfelves  *,  and  we 
lhould  alio  be  careful  to  admonifh  other  Churches  about 
us  with  Love  aM  Faithfulnefs  for  the  Offences  obfervable 
in  them. 

But,  befides  the  Scriptural  Direclions  and  Patterns  in  ' 
Favour  of  fuch  a  Difcipline,  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing 
plainly  fpeaks  for  fuch  a  Power  in  particular  Churches :  ; 
For,  as  that  animal  Body  is  defective,  weak  and  un- 
found  in  its  Nature  and  Conftitution,  which  has  not 
Strength  equal  to  the  Expulfwn  of  the  malignant  Hu- 
mours which  are  brought  into  it ;  even  fo  thofe  Bodies, 
particular  Churches,  would  be  but  in  a  feeble  State,  which 
have  not  Power  to  get  rid  of  their  vicious,  corrupt  and 
off eirfive  People :  Nor  can  we  think  it  for  the  Honour 
of -our  bleffed  Saviour  to  leave  His  Churches  in  fuch 

a  feeble  State : But  we  have  Reafon  to  be  thank- 

fuL,  that  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  has  given  His 
Churches  fuch  an  athletic  Conftitution  that  they  have 
Power  -equal  to  the  Purging  themfelves  of  their  fuper- 

fluous 


fluous  and  vicious  Humours :  And  bleiTed  be  Got>7 
while  fome  other  Churches  are  complaining  for  the 
Want  of  a  godly  Difcipline,  thefe  Churches  enjoy  it  and 
will  not  fuffer  fuch  as  are  known  to  be  prophane  and 
vile  Perfons  to  efcape  it. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  demanded  here,  whether  the  Chur- 
ches in  the  Ages  immediately  fucceeding  the  Apoftles 
Days  were  in  the  Pojfeffwn  of  fuch  Power  and  exerted 
it  upon  proper  Occafions?  Now,  in  Anfwer  to  this 
Enquiry,  I  would  fay,  that,  fuppofmg  they  had  not  nor 
did  exercife  fuch  a  Power,  this  does  not  hinder  but  that 
it  properly  belonged  unto  them,  as  it  appears  that  it  did 
from  the  Injunctions  and  Examples  upon  facred  Record  : 
So  that  they  might  lawfully  and  honeftly  take  and  exer- 
cife this  Power. 

But  the  Truth  is,  we  find,  that  the  Churches  in  the 
Ages  after  the  Apoftles  pofTefTed  this  Power,  and  on 
fuitable  Occafions  ufed  the  fame.  So  Clement  of 
Rome  ftyles  the  Cenfures  of  the  Church,  the  'Things  com- 
manded  by  the  Multitude  (d).  And  it  appears,  that  all 
the  People  of  the  Diocefs,  Church  or  Bifhoprick  were 
prefent  at  the  Cenfures  of  the  Church  from  Origen's 
Defcription  of  the  Appearance  of  an  Offender  before 
the  whole  Church (e).  And  Cyprian  writes,  that, 
if  any  were  under  Cenfure,  before  they  could  be  ad- 
mitted to  Communion,  they  were  to  plead  their  Caufe 
before  all  the  People  of  the  Church  (f) :  And,  when 
feme  had  committed  fome  confiderable  Faults,  he  was 
fo  far  from  fetting  himfelf  up  as  a  fufficient  Judge,  em- 
powered to  manage  the  Affair,  that  he  exprefsly  de- 
clares that  they  ought  to  be  tried  by  all  the  People  (g)  3 
Nay  he  openly  protefls,  that  from  the  Beginning  of  his 
Mi nift ry  he  determined  to  do  nothing  of  his  own  Head,  and 

with* 


(d)  Clement.  I  Epift.  ad  Corinth. 

(e)  Ongen.  Comment,  in  Matth.  Tom.  XIII.  p.^jf*. 

(\)  d$uri  CaufiviapudPlcbemunivtrJanti  Cjipian.  EDift.  jq, 
(g)  c}?fian>  Epift.  28, 


('°3  ) 

without  the  Confent  of  his  People  (h).  Thus  we  fee  what 
the  Difcipline  of  the  Primitive  Church  was:  And  me*, 
thinks,  as'  the  Abbot  Fleury  in  his  Difcourfes- ,m, 
Ecclefioftical  Hiftory  rightly  obferves,  the  ancienter  the 
Difcipline  is,  it  is  by  fo  much  the  more  venerable. 

And,  if  the  Teftimony  of  later  "Worthies  may  be  of 
any  "Weight,  we  have  thefe  alfo  to  produce  in  Favour 
if  the  Difcipline  for  which  we  have  bin  pleading. 
Lambert  faid,  that  Excommunication  ought. to  be  done 
by  the  Congregation  affembled  together  with  the  Paftors  (i). 
Peter  Martyr  concludes  that  none  can  be  ex  com* 
munkated  without  the  Confent  of  the  Church  (k).  Bucer 
freely  owns,  that  the  Power  is  in  all  the  Church  (I). 
And  Mr.  Howe,  when  he  was  afked  by  Dr.  Wil- 
kins  concerning  the  Difcipline  of  the  Church  of 
England,  in  which  the  poor  People  have  no  Share  at 
all,  replied,  that  in  Reality  it  had  no  Difcipline  at 
all  (m),  and  therefore  he  could  not  be  fond  of  it. 

Nay  a  celebrated  Scotch  Prefbyterian  {n)  acknow- 
leges,  that  not  only  grave  BEZA,  CALVIN,  BUCER, 
BULLINGER,  MELANCTHON,  BUCAN,  PA, 
R&US,  RIVET,  SIBRAND,  JUNIUS,  TRELCA- 
<TIUS  -,  but  alfo  CYPRIAN,  JEROM,  AUGUSTIN, 
NAZIANZEN,  CHRTSOSTOM,  AMBROSE,  THE- 
ODORE?, THEOPHTLACT  require,  that  all  Things. 
Jhould  be  done  confentiente  Plebe,  with  the  Co?ifent  of  the 
People. 

But  fome  will  be  ready  to  fay,  If  the  Power  of  Dif- 
cipline be  in  the  Churches,  how  came  they  to  be  deprived  of 
it  ?  And  the  Anfwer  is,  that  fome  vile  Perfons,  under 
the  fpecious  Pretence  of  raifing  the  Church  and  promot- 
ing its  Power,  called  the  Clergy  only  the  Church  firft  of 

all, 

(h)  Cyptia-n*  Epift.  6. 
(i)  Fox.  z.  p.  1017. 
(k)  Loc.  Commen.  p.  78^ 
(1)  In  Maun.  XVI.  19. 

(m)  Howe's  Life.  p.  32,, 

(  )  Ruihcrfurd-, 


(  104  ) 

all,  and  then  fought  to  make  them  Lords  over  Prince: 
ly  giving  them  the  Power  of  Excommunication.  Hinc  ille 
Lachrymal  Hence  the  Power  of  Difcipline  has  bin 
taken  out  of  the  Hands  of  the  People,  and  infinite 
Diforders  have  enfued  upon  it :  For,  when  a  Bijhop  or 
a  fmall  Number  of  Minifters  have  the  Supervifion  or 
Overfight  and  Management  of  A  (Fairs,  it  is  next  to  im- 
pofTible  but  that  Pride  and  Ambition,  Faction  and  Envy, 
Political  Regards  and  Secular  Inter  efts  mould  govern : 
And  indeed  this  is  no  more  than  what  is  obferved  by 
theHiftorians  Socrates  and  Sozomen,  as  well  as 
by  feveral  other  Fathers. 

I  would  not  be  underflood,  notwithstanding  all  that 
has  bin  faid,  entirely  to  exclude  the  Elders  from  the  Ma- 
72agement  of  the  Discipline  of  the  Church  :  For  the  Duty 
of  admonifhing  Offenders  'privately  and  perfonally  belongs 
to  them  in  common  with  the  reft  of  the  Church  \  tho'  it 
does  not  properly  belong  to  the  Elders  as  filch,  but  only 
as  Brethren  of  the  fame  Society :  And  yet  it  muft  be 
allowed,  that  Elders  by  Virtue  of  their  OfHce  are 
enabled  to  do  it  with  more  Authority  in  a  moral  Senfe^ 
tho'  they  do  not  ftrictly  and  properly  exercife  the  Power 
cf  their  Office.  And  it  muft  be  acknowkged,  that  in 
the  Difcharge  of  their  Office  they  may  be  capacitated 
to  fee  and  know  the  Faults  of  the  Brethren  fooner  than 
others  ;  but  yet,  in  the  Exercife  of  this  Difcipline  every 
Member  is  equally  concerned  with  the  Elders,  as  appears 
irom  the  Obligations  which  lie  upon  them  to  watch 
over  and  exercife  fpecial  Love  towards  one  another ; 
tor  their  Obligations  to  this  are  equal :  And  indeed  this 
Duty  is  id  incumbent  on  every  Member  of  the  Church, 
char,  if  any  neglect  it,  he  fins  againft  the  Inftitution  of 
CHRIST  and  becomes  a  Partaker  in  the  Sin  of  the 
offending  Party,  and  is  guilty  of  his  Danger  and  Ritin> 
.is  well  as  chargeable  with  all  the  Inconveniencies  and 
Injuries  accruing  to  the  Church  by  the  Continuance  of 
its  Members  in  Sin  and  Wickednefs :  So  that,  upon 
thefe  Confiderations;  all  the  Brethren;  not  only  have  the 

Liberty 


c«oy ) 

Liberty  of  admonifhing  one  another ',  but  it  is  their  plain 
and  indifpenfable  Duty  fo  to  do  :  And  whofoever  of  them 
neglefts  this  Duty  is  chargeable  with  the  Hatred  of  his 
Brother. 

But,  altho*  this  Duty  be  perfonally  incumbent  on. 
every  particular  Member  of  the  Church,  this  however 
hinders  not  but  that,  if  fever -al  at  the  fame  Time  know 
the  Sin  of  an  Offender  and  jointly  are  offended  at  it, 
they  may  together,  if  they  think  it  prudent,  in  the  firft 
Inftance  admonifh  him :  And,  if  they  do  fo,  this  is  to 
be  confidered  as  the  firft  and  private  Admonition. 

As  to  the  Way  and  Manner  wherein  this  Duty  is  to 
be  difcharged,  I  would  only  obferve,  that  it  fhould  be 
done  with  Prudence,  Tendernefs  and  a  due  Regard  to  all 
Circumftances,  from  hove  to  the  Perfon  offending,  out  of 
Obedience  to  JESUS  CHRIST,  agreably  to  the  Rule 
which  is  given  for  our  Direction  in  it  and  with  a  Rea- 
dinefs  to  receive  Satisfatlion. 

And  now  the  great  and  good  Ends  to  be  propofed  in 
fuch  a  Difcipline  are,  that  undijfembled  Love  may  be 
maintained,  that  the  offending  Brother  may  be  gained, 
that  he  may  be  preferved  from  Difhonour  by  the  unne- 
cessary Divulging  of  his  Failings  and  Errors^  that  the 
Churches  may  not  be  fcandalized  by  the  hafty  expofing 
of  the  Failings  of  their  Members  whether  they  be  real 
or  imaginary,  and  that  the  Trouble  of  a  public  Hearing 
may  be  prevented :  And,  if  thefe  Ends  be  obtained,  by 
the  accufed  Perfon9s  manifefting  his  Innocence  as  to  the 
Facts  alleg'd  againil  him  or  by  his  Acknowlegement, 
Repentance  and  Promifes  of  Reformation,  then  this  Part 
ot  the  Difcipline  of  Christ's  Church  has  obtained  the 
defired  Effect. 

But,  if  thefe  good  Ends  be  not  anfwered,  then  the 
PerjunSyVfho  have  endeavoured  to  reclaim  their  offend- 
ing Brother  by  private  Methods,  are  to  inform  the  Elders 
of  the  Church  concerning  their  Prcceedure  ;  and  by  them 
the  Report  fhould  be  made  to  the  Church,  as  of  the  Crime 
committed,  fo  of  the  Teftimonies  given  co 'prove  the  Truth 

P  of 


(  ioO 

of  it,  of  the  Means  ufed  to  bring  the  Offender  to  Ac- 
knowlegement  and  Repentance,  and  concerning  the 
Deportment  of  the  Offender  under  the  private  Admoni- 
tions given  him,  to  wit,  his  Rejetlion  of  them  and  re- 
fufing  to  render  any  Satisfaction  on  the  Account  of  his 
Offence. 

And,  when  Things  are  thus  propofed  to  the 
Church  and  the  Offender  heard,  the  whole  Churchy 
Elders  and  Brethren,  are  to  confider  the  Nature  of  the 
Offence  and  to  judge  concerning  the  Offence,  as  well  as 
the  Demeanour  of  the  Offender :  And,  if  the  Offence  be 
evident  and  glarings  the  Offender  is  to  be  ad?noni/hed 
with  the  Gonfent  and  Concurrence  of  the  Church  by  the 
Elders ;  But,  if  the  Offender  defpife  the  Admonition  of 
the  Church  and  continues  obflinate  and  impenitent,  then 
it  is  the  Mind  and  Will  of  our  bleffed  Saviour, 
that  he  fhould  be  cut  off  from  the  Privileges  of  the 
Church  and  caft  out  of  the  Society  :  And  this  is  the  loft 
Atl  of  the  Difcipline  of  the  Church  for  the  Correction 
of  Offenders:  So  that,  by  the  Conftitution  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Body  of  the  Church  or  the  Multitude  of 
the  Brethren  are  interefted  in  the  Adminiflration  of  the 
Difciplinary  Power  in  the  Church. 

This  is  the  Difcipline  of  thefe  Congregational  Chur- 
ches, which  we  apprehend  to  be  mo  ft  co'nformdble  to 
Reafon  and  the  Holy  Scriptures,  to  the  Practice  of  the 
Apo files  and  the  Primitive  Chrifiians. 

As  to  a  Power  faftned  to  the  Keys  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven,  a  Power  of  Binding  and  Loofing,  by  which. 
Men  can  excommunicate  and  deliver  up  a  Perfon  to  the 
Devil  in  the  Name  and  by  the  Authority  of  Jesus 
Christ,  we  pretend  to  no  fuch  Power :  Nor  do  we 
approve  of  any  fuch  Power,  to  which  fome  make  their 
Pretences,  by  which  Paftors  or  Synods,  in  Conjunction 
and  Confederacy  with  the  Civil  Magiftrate,  or  by  an 
Ecclefiaftical  Power  diftincl:  from  the  Magiftrate's,  but 
equal  to  it,  are  capable  of  binding  and  lofing^  as  has  bin 
laid :   Nay  we  deleft  it. 

We 


C  107  ) 

We  know,  that  Excommunication  was  an  Act  of 
Apoftolical  Authority ;  but  we  can  fee  no  Reafon, 
why  Delivering  up  to  Satan  to  be  buffeted  mould  be 
made  the  common  Form  of  Excommunication,  and  be- 
come a  Precedent  for  the  conftant  Pr  alike  of  the  Church, 

That  this  was  an  All  of  miraculous  Power  vifibly 
lodged  with  the  Apoftles  is  plain  to  us ;  becaufe,  as 
they  could  ftrike  Men  blind  and  dead,  they  had  the 
Power  alfo  of  letting  evil  Spirits  loofe  to  terrify,  plague 
and  punifh  fucb  Perfons  as  were  Enemies  of  Truth  and 
Righteoufnefs,  that  fo  a  terrible  Remedy  might  be  in- 
flicted for  a  dreadful  Evil :  We  do  not  therefore  won- 
der, that  the  Apoftles  never  mention  this  among  the 
fianding  Appointments  for  the  Church  to  obferve  nor  give 
any  Charge  or  Directions  about  it :  And  it  appears 
very  ftrange  unto  us,  that  this  Method  of  denouncing 
Anathemas  has  obtained  fo  much  in  Churches,  and  even 
among  fuch  Churches  as  pretend  to  elevated  Degrees  of 
Reformation  ;  believing,  that  the  abfurd  Notion  of  the 
Infallibility  of  the  Church  has  bin  carried  on  by  it, 
and  that  it  has  laid  the  Foundation  for  endlefs  Animofities 
and  the  greateft  Uncharitabknefs. 

In  fine  then ;  Altho'  theie  Churches  may  be  re- 
proached by  many  as  very  defeclive  in  their  Politicks, 
inafmuch  as  they  did  not  eretl  an  infallible  Tribunal, 
but  yet  expeel  the  good  People  to  fubmit  to  their  Decifwns, 
altho'  they  are  fubject  to  Error  •,  whereas,  in  other 
Eftablifhments,  the  People  are  obliged  to  fubmit  to  an 
uncontroleable  infallible  Authority  (x) :  It  is  neverthe- 
lefs  to  be  hoped,  that  thefe  Churches  will  not  fall  from 
their  Stedfaftnefs  notwithstanding  any  Reproaches  of  this 
Nature.  May  God  of  His  great  Goodnefs  enable  us 
{till  to  follow  the  Illuminations  of  Reafon  and  Scripture, 
ftill  to  keep  ourfelves  difengag'd  from  an  infallible  and 
incontefiible  Tribunal^  and  ftill  to  abhor  the  'Thoughts  of  a 

J?  2  meanv 


(x;  Qu&libtt   Ecclefiafibi  Verbis   arrogat   Orthodoxjsm,  Re 
Intallibilitttera*    Locke  in  Epift.  ad  Umborch* 


(«o8   ) 

mean)  ignominious  Subjection  to  any  humane  Tyrannical 
Authority  what  fever !  For  the  Confciences  of  Chriftians 
are -and- ought  to  be  the  laft  Refort,  wherein  our  Faith 
and  Worfhip  and  all  religious  Matters  fhould  be  judged 
without  any  further  Appeal :    And?  altho'  Chriftians 
may  be   exhorted  and  have  Perfuafwns  ufed  with  them, 
none  ought  to  be  conjlrained  in  fuch  Things  wherein  their 
Confciences  are  concerned  :  The  Magiftrate  may  argue, 
and  the  Synod  may  advife  and  perfuade ;  but  who  gave 
them  either  Right  or  Power  to  oblige  and  force  Men  in 
rehgious  Matters  ?  Now  particular  Churches  have  juft 
the  fame  Liberty  with  refpecl  to  their  Members  ?  And, 
if  they  pretend  to  any  conjlraining  Power  over  their 
Members,  they  a<£t  as  the  Civil  Magiftrate,  not  as  an 
Affembly  of  Chriftians  and  faithful  People:    So  that, 
in  fliort,  tho9  thefe  Churches  as  fuch  and  as  fincere  Chrif- 
tians think  their  Members  accountable  to  them  and  cen~ 
fur  able  by  them  •,  neverthelefs  they  pretend  to  no  more 
Power  and  Jurifdiction  over  them,  than  a  Society  of 
difcreie  and  grave  Philofophers  over  fuch  as  are  admitted 
Jntq  their  Society,  whom  they  fee  meet  to  admit  when 
they   are  duely   qualified  \  and  they  think  themfelves 
obliged  to  cenfure  and  exclude  from  their  Society,  when 
they  have  forfeited  the  Privileges  of  it  by  their  exotic 
Sentiments  or  indecent  Carriages. —  'Tis  true,  fome  of 
our  Congregational  Brethren,  who  verge  towards  Prefby- 
terianifm,  pretend  to   much  more  in  their  Difcipline 
than  that  for  which  I  have  bin  pleading :  But  all  iuch 
as  are  throughly  Congregational  will   be  content  with 
this :    I   mull  confefs,    that   this  is  all  the  Power  to 
which  I  think  the  Churches  have  any  rightful  Claim; 
and  I  conceive,   all  that  they  pretended  to  exercife  in  the 
early  Times  of  'Chrijlianity  (z)  ;•    And  Go  p    grant,  that 

thefe 

(z)Nt^ut  vera ExcomiriunicixiQ aliud  turn  erat  ^uawSeparatio, 
Nctt*^ommuiiio,  Reuunciaito  Communionis;  nonvevo  Dam* 
uaiio  Exec/a'io  per  Cbndelss  Extititist,  Campanatum  Bontumt 
nt  bod-.efi  n  falei  Roiivje.     Horvri.  Hift.  Ecciel'.  p    145. 

Mr.  AD uQ  1  Fleuty  lays,   in   his  Di/cour/es  on    Ecelefuftical 


C  T09  } 

there  Churches  may  never  deftre  any  further  Power  and, 
Liberty  than  fuch  a  rational  due  as  they  at  prefent  en- 
joy ;  nor  fuffer  any\  whether  Paftors  or  Synods,  to  take 
ai&ay  their  Crown, 


■ 

Chapter  VII. 

The  Liberty  of  thefe  Churches  to  fit 
and  aft,  in  Councils  and  Synods  cleared 
and  vindicated;  and  the  Power  of 
Synods  explained. 


IT  is  entirely  confident  with  Reafon  and  the  Revela- 
tion of  GOD's  Mind  in  His  Word,  that  there 
mould  be  Councils  and  Synods  called  upon  requifite  Oc~ 
cafions :  But  it  is  neither  agreable  to  Nature  nor  Scrip- 
ture to  turn  fuch  occafional  Helps  into  the  Form  of  a, 
Carnal  State  Polity  and  erecl  a  Government  out  of 
Friendly  and  Chriftian  Confultations  for  the  Inftru&ion, 
Benefit  and  Comfort  of  our  Brethren. 

There  may  be  Synods  or  Meetings  of  Paftors  for  pro- 
moting Peace  and  Concord  -,  but  there  is  great  Danger, 

left 


Hipry,  thai  this  Curling  or  Excommunication,  as  praftifed  at 

^me,  is  I,  ke  a  feeble  old  Man,  who,  perceiving  bimfe If  flighted, 
vyhu  Children  and  not  being  able  to  come  out  of  his  Bed  to  chaf- 
tije  them  as  before,  throws  whatfoever  he  has  in  his  Hands  at 
them  to  appeafe  hit  impotent  PaJ/ien,  and  then,  forcing  the  Tone  of 
ha  Foice,  ufes  all  the  Imprecations  agaivfi  them  he  tan  think  of. 


(no) 

left  fuch  Meetings  fnould  be  hurtful  to  the  Principles 
and  Liberties  of  particular  Churches  and  fo  degenerate 
from  the  good  Ends  which  ought  ro  be  defigned  and  pur- 
fned  in  them:  For,  as  Sutlivius  obferves,  Nulla  in 
Ecclefia  Dei  graviora  excitata  funt  Schifmata,  nee  Harefes 
exort&  funt  ab  ullo  tetriores  quam  ab  Epifcopis,  The  worft 
of  Schifms  and  blacked  Herefies  have  bin  raifed  by 
Bifhops  (»). 

In  the  Year  1 700,  there  was  publifh'd  a  Book  at 
Amfterdam  by  one  Peter  Shepherd  (o),  wherein 
he  endeavours  to  prove  by  natural,  political  and  mathe- 
matical Arguments  that  the  Kingdoms,  Principalities  and 
Republicks,  wherein  the  Romifh  Religion  prevails,  are 
in  a  fair  Way  of  being  deftroyed  by  the  Ambition  and  Ava- 
rice of  the  Popes  and  of  their  Clergy  :  But  it  is  as  eafy 
ro  prove  from  the  fame  Arguments,  that  the  Liberties 
of  all  free  Churches  are  in  Danger  of  Deftruclion  from 
the  frequent  Ajfociations  of  Minifters  :  The  Refolution  of 
Gregory  Nazi anzen  therefore  is  not  at  all  to  be 
wonder'dat:  For,  faid  He  to  Procopius(/)J,  If  I 
muft  write  the  'Truth  itfelf  I  am  of  the  Mind  to  be  abfent 
from  every  Meeting  of  Bifhops  :  For  J  never  faw  a  joyful 
and  happy  End  of  any  Council  [of  them]  nor  any  that  did 
not  occafion  the  Encreafe  of  Evils  rather  than  the  Redrefs 
or  Reformation  of  them :  For  pertinacious  Contention  and 
the  vehement  Defire  of  Lording  are  fuch  as  no  Words  can 
exprefs.  And  indeed  there  is  none,  who  knows  any 
Thing  of  Antiquity,  but  is  well  acquainted  with  the 
great  Mifchiefs  which  have  arifen  from  Combinations  of 
domineering  Clergymen.  One  Dioscorus,  who  was 
Preiident  in  the  Second  Council  at  Ephefus  over  Four 
Hundred  Perfons,  was  fo  moved  with  Rage  and  Paflion 
againft  Flavian,  Bifhop  of  Antioch,  that  he  rofe  up 
from  his  Seat  and  killed  him  with  Blows  and  Kicks 

and 


(n)  Sutliv.  de  Pontif.  Roman.  1    2.  cap  i<% 
(0)  Works  of  Learned  for  the  Year  170c. 
fp)  Grcgor,  Nazhnzen*  Epift.  55-  P-  8*4« 


Cut  ) 

and  trampled  upon  his  Body  after  he  was  dead.— And 
it  is  remarkable,  that  the  Canons,  which  have  the  bed: 
Doctrine  and  the  trueft  Morality  and  Goodnefs  in  them, 
were  not  made  by  Affemblies  of  Clergymen,  nor  by  nu- 
merous Synods  and  Oecumenical  Councils,  wherein  the 
Clergy  have  had  the  chief  Management,  but  in  tbofe 
Councils  and  Synods  which  were  private  and  confified  of  a 
few  Perfons  of  the  Laity  as  well  as  the  Clergy :  And 
hence  mod  of  the  African  Councils  were  the  beft  in  all 
the  World :  For  the  African  Bifhopricks  were  like  our 
Congregational  Churches ;  nor  did  the  Bifhops  or  Mi- 
mfters  drive  who  mould  be  greateft  in  them,  according 
to  the  Manner  of  fome  in  other  Places. 

As  for  particular  Churches,  we  readily  concede,  that 
they,  as  of  equal  Power,  may  in  fome  Cafes  appointed 
by  Jesus  Christ  meet  together  by  themfelves  or  by 
their  Delegates  in  a  Council  or  Synod  and  may  perform 
fundry  Acts  of  Ecclefiaflical  Power  -,  but  yet  it  is  our 
avowed  Principle,  that  the  Members  of  Councils  and_ 
Synods,  with  all  the  Power  which  they  exercife  and  put 
forth,  are  all  of  them  primarily  given  to  the  fever al  par- 
ticular  Churches,  on  whofe  Account  they  are  gathered 
and  employed,  either  as  the  firfi  Subject  in  whom  they 
refide  or  the  firft  Objecl  about  whom  they  are  conver- 
fant :  So  that,  altho'  we  differ  from  fome  of  our  Neigh- 
bours about  the  Power  of  Councils  and  Synods,  we  have 
no  Difference  at  all  with  them  about  their  Being  -,  for 
we  freely  acknowlege,  that  they  ought  to  be,  when  pro- 
per Occafwns  require. 

Dr.  Humphrey  Hody  has  publifhed  an  Hiftory 
of  Englifh  Councils  and  Convocations,  and  of  the  Clergy's 
fitting  in  Parliament,  in  1701,  in  which  he  has  taken  a 
great  deal  of  Pains  and  Care  in  turning  over  ancient 
Records  and  collecting  PafTages  out  of  them  ;  but  by 
them  it  does  not  appear,  where  the  Original  Right  of 
convening  Councils  and  Synods  was  lodged :  He  flicivs 
indeed,  that  Synods  were  fcmetimes  called  by  the  Aiiij- 
rity  of  the  Qlergy,  and  at  other  "limes  convened  fflhhe 

Prosit* 


Prince :  But  this  does  not  determine,,  where-  the  Right 
of  Convening  them  is  placed. 

Councils  and  Synods  mould  be  compofed  of.fuch  Per- 
fons  as  are  fit  and  proper,  both  of  the  Eld-rjhip  and  the 
Laity  ;  and  both  have  equal  Right  to  /peak  their  Senti- 
ments in  them :  'Tis  true  a  particular  Regard  may 
fometimes  be  had  to  Raft  or  s  and  Bifljops  in  fending  De- 
legates to  Synods :  But,  if  the  Churches  mould  only 
have  fuch  Bijhops  or  Paftors  as  are  either  not  fo  well  ac- 
quainted with  their  Constitution  or  are  Enemies  unto  it, 
it  is  their  Duty  to  keep  them  at  Heme  at  leift'. 

And,  when  a  Number  of.  pious,  fkilful  and  prudent 
Perfons,  both  Minifters  and  Brethren,  are  fent  and  con- 
vened in  Council  or  Synod,  they  ought  to  have  equal 
Power  and  Authority  in  acting  and  voting :  This  is  the 
Right  of  the  Fraternity  ;  and,  in  order  to  fupport  and 
eftablifh  this  Right  of  the  Fraternity  in  Councils  and 
Synods,  there  are  a  few  brief  Remarks  to  be  offered, 
which  have  considerable  Weight  and  Significance  in 
them. 

It  is  certain,  that  we  have  the  Authority  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  the  Pratlice  of  the  Church  in  the  Apoftle's 
Days  for  this  Power  of  the  Brethren:  For  we  read, 
that  the  Apoftles  and  Elders  came  together  to  confider  of 
the  Matter  that  was  to  be  laid  before  them,  in  Act 
XV.  6 :  And  it  follows,  at  Verfe  22,  then  pleafed  i: 
the  Apoftles  and  Elders,  with  the  whole  Church,  to  fend 
chofen  Men,  &c :  From  which  PafTages  it  plainly  ap- 
pears, that,  not  only  the  Apoftles  and  Elders,  bat  the 
whole  Church  alfo,  and  lb  the  Peopk,  were  prefent  in 
this  Council  and  were  concerned  in  the  definitive  Sen-^ 
tence  of  it :  But  now  this  Council,  ought  to  be  the  Rule 
and  Pattern  for  all  other  Councils  whether  greater  or 
fmaller :  Since  therefore  in  this  Council,  not  only^  the. 
Apoftles  and  Elders,  bat  all  the  People  are  faid  to  give 
rheir  Opinion  and  unite  in  the  definitive  Decree  ;  furely 
the  fame  Ride  ought  to  be  obferved  in  all  other  Councils  or 
Synods :  For,  as  all  other  Synods  are  vaftly  Inferiour  to 

this 


tip) 

this  Apoftolical  one,  it  may  Well  be  expected  that  they 
fhon'kl  be  conformable  to  the  fame. 

And,  befides  this  Example  upon  facred  Record  to 
juftify  the  Right  of  the  Brethren  to  fit  and  act  in  Council^ 
there  are  feveral  Places  of  Scripture,  which  allow  all 
the  Faithful  in  Ecclefiaftical  Conventions  to  judge  in  re- 
ligious Matters :  Not  to  infill  upon  that  PaiTage,  in 
i  Cor.  XIV.  24,  where  it  is  fold,  If  all  prophefy,  and 
there  co?ne  that  believeth  not  or  one  unlearned,  he  is  con- 
vinced of  all,  he  is  judged  of  all :  It  is  plain  both  from 
the  old  and  new  Teftament,  that  Divine  Matter's  fhculd 
be  puhlickly  confidered  by  the  People  and  the  final  Judg- 
ment referring  to  them  mould  be  left  with  the  People. 
So  we  read,  in  1  King.  XVIII.  21  and  39  Verfes^ 
that  Elijah  came  to  all  the  People  and  faid,  how  long- 
halt  ye  between  two  Opinions  ?  If  the  LORD  be  GODy 
follow  HIM-,  but  if  Baal,  follow  him  :  And  the  People 
anfwered  Him  not  a  Word. —  And  when  all  the  People 
faw  [how  the  Sacrifice  Was  confumed  from  above]  they 
fell  on  their  Faces  and  faid,  'The  LORD  HE  is  GOD, 
the  LORD  HE  is  the  GOD.  And  it  is  written,  that, 
when  PHILIP  preached  to  the  City  of  S.unaria,  the 
People  with  one  Accord  gave  Heed  to  the  Things  which 
He  fpake,  and  there  was  great  Joy  in  the  City,  as  m  A6h 
VIII.  6  and  8  Verfes.  So  that  it  mould  feem,  as  if 
the  People,  upon  hearing  and  maturely  weighing  the 
Difcourfes  of  Ph  i  l  i  p,  publickiy  teftified  their  Appro- 
bationof  what  He  taught  them. 

And  it  is  worthy  to  be  obferved,  that  this  Right  of 
the  Laity  has  bin  afYerted  and  exerciied  in  later  Times : 
For,  not  to  mention  it,  that  the  Temporal  Lords  and 
Commons,  in  the  two  Reigns  that  brought  on  the  Refor- 
mation, were  much  better  Judges  of  Religion,  than  the 
Bifhops  and  the  Convocation  •,  and,  it  chey  had  not  pro- 
moted the  Reformation,  tho5  poor  Lakhs,  the  English 
.Nation  to  this  Day  had  lain  buried  in  xwt  /Egyptian, 
and  worfe  than  ^Egyptian,  Darknefs  of  Popery.  —  It  is 
well  known,  that,  when  the  Calling  of  that  iofamcus 

Q^  Affcmtiy 


C"4) 

AfTembly  the  Council  of  Trent  was  propofed  at  Norim* 
lerg,  in  the  Year  1522,  all  the  Eftates  of  Germany 
defired  and  infifted,  that Admittance  might  be  granted 
nnto  Laymen  as  well  as  Clergymen,  to  be,  not  only 
Spectators  and  Witnejfes,  but  alio  Judges  in  the  Council : 
Which  being  refufed,  they  would  not  come  unto  it9 
but  publifhed  the  Reafons  of  their  withdraw ;  one  of 
which  was,  becaufe  Laymen  were  not  allowed  to  vote 
miong  them.  And  what  learned  Englishman  is  there 
that  can  be  ignorant,  how  our  learned  Whi taker, 
our  excellent  Juel,  our  fkilful  and  induftrious  Wil- 
let  and  other  Writers  of  our  Nation,  in  writing  againft 
the  Romanifts,  maintain  the  Right  of  Laicks  to  fit  and 
judge  in  Ecclefiaftical  Councils  ?  And,  as  the  moil  famous 
Councils  and  Synods  in  the  Churches  of  the  Reforma- 
tion have  admitted  fuch  Members  in  them ;  fo,  in  the 
primitive  Times  and  the  Ages  next  unto  the  Apoftles, 
it  is  unqueftionable  that  fuch  had  not  only  Seats,  but 
Votes  in  Councils  allowed  them :  And,  even  in  as  late 
a  Council  as  that  of  Calcedon,  we  find  feven  Earls,  ten 
Senators  and  others,  befides  Ecclefiafticks. 

But,  in  Truth  if  there  were  no  Inflames  or  Exaj?iples 
of  this,  this  is  very  plain  and  evident,  that  the  Divine 
Spirit  fometimes  and  very  frequently  beftows  fuch  Gifts  on 
the  Brotherhood  as  render  them  worthy  to  be  heard  and 
make  it  fit  that  they  mould  declare  their  Judgment : 
So  that  the  Reafon  of  the  Thing  requires,  that  their  Gifts 
fhould  not  be'  defpifed,  but  that  they  mould  have  the 
Liberty  of  exercifing  them  freely  upon  requifite  Occafiom. 

And  Natural  Juftice,  befides,  fupplies  us  with  an 
Argument  in  Defence  of  the  Brethren's  Right  to  fit  and 
aft  in  Councils :  For  nothing  can  be  more  fit  and  juft 
and  equal,  than  that  the  co?n?non  Caufe  of  all  the  Chur- 
ches Jbould  be  determined  by  the  Votes  and  Suffrages  of  the 
Churches:  And,  inafmuch  as  the  Holy  Spirit  with 
His  Influences  is  not  confined  to  any  particnlar  fort  of 
Men  in  the  Churches,  it  is  fit  that  every  Brother  Jhould 
wercife  freely  the  Gifts  vMch  he  has  freely  received :  For 

that 


C»5   ) 

that  which"  concerneth  all  ought  to  be  handled  in  lome 
good  Meafure  or  Degree  by  all  who  are  qualified': 
And,  as  the  Faith  of  Chriftians,  as  well  as  what  fhould 
be  their-  Praclice,  is  a  Matter  of  univerfal  Concern- 
ment ;  therefore  the  Brethren,  who  are  qualified  as  be- 
fore, fhould  in  Councils  have  their  Share  in  difcuffing 
thefe  Things  and  giving  their  Determinations  upon 
them. 

Furthermore  ;  As  the  Scripture  is  the  fupreme  Judge 
of  all  Controverfees  in  Religion  and  the  infallible  Rule 
of  all  Judgment  -,  and  as  they  who  fit  and  act  in  Coun- 
cils and  Synods  are  only  to  be  Interpreters  and  Ex- 
plainers of  what  is  contained  in  the  Word  of  God  ; 
therefore  the  Brethren,  as  well  and  as  much  as  their 
Officers,  may  give  their  Judgment  in  Councils  and  Sy- 
nods.  And  indeed  the  Opinion  of  one  Layman,  which 
is  agreable  to  the  Scriptures,  is  to  be  preferred  before 
the  folemn  Judgment  of  an  whole  Council  of  Clergy- 
men which  is  contradictory  to  them.  So  Gratian 
acknowleges,  that  the  Authority  of  Jerom  fupported 
by  the  facred  Scripture  is  to  be  valued  before  that  of  ah 
whole  general  Council (q) :  So  Panormitan,  tho'  an 
Abbot,  writes,  that  the  Opinion  of  even  one  Idiot,  well 
guarded  with  'Teftimonies  from  the  Scripture  is  altogether 
preferable  to  the  Decrees  of  an  whole  Council  or  the 
Pope  (r),  which  are  not  confonant  with  them :  And 
Gerson  maintains,  that  every  Man  of  Learning  may 
and  ought  to  refift  or  wiihftand  an  whole  Council,  if 
he  fees  that  they  err  either  thro'  Ignorance  or  Malice  (f). 
And  this  is  a  good  Argument  in  Favour  of  the  Bre- 
thren's Right  to  fit  and  aft  in  Councils :  For  what  is  the 

_.  pretended  Reafon,  why  Bifhops  and  Elders  fhould  be 
chiefly  called  to  Councils  ?  Why  truely  it  is  faid,  that 

r  they   are  generally  more  wife  and  learned  than  their 

Q^2  Neigh- 

-.  j ■ ■ — — 

.        (q)  Gratian.  Queft.  g6>  Can.  ult. 

(r)  Panormitan.  Comment,  in  Chronic. 
(C)  Gerfon.  de  Examinat,  Doftiin*  paj,  h 


C  m6  ) 

Neighbours  >  and  therefore  they  fhould  efpet tally  b^ 
employed:    But  it  mull  be  conleffed,  that  it  is    ofterif, 
otherwife :  And  therefore,  if  there  can  be  found  any>; 
Laymen  more  learned  than  their  Minifters  or  equally- 
wjie,  there  can  be  no  good  Reafon  why  they  Should 
not  be  -called  to  Councils  and  aft  and  judge  in  them,   in 
all  .Refects  equally  with  their  Minifters. 
\  Nor,  in  fine,  is  primitive  Antiquity  a  Stranger  to  this'. 
Liberty,  of  the  Fraternity.      I    could  quote   numerous 
Pafiages.out  of  the  Hiitorians  Eusebius,  Sozomen 
and  Theodore t,    from  which  it  appears,  that  not 
only  Bijhops  or  Minifters,  but  Laymen  alfo,  were  not  s 
only  prefent  in  Councils,  but  alfo  ftpake  their  Minis  and.  j 
drgue'd  ana rgave  their  Determinations.     But  it  is  fuffici- 
ehtVfor  our   prefent  Purpofe,    that,  from  the  Acls'of. 
ancient    cuncils,  \\.  is  very  manifeft  that  the  Brethren 
vrteft and' aeled  in  them:  In-  the  firft  Council  of  Nice, 
not  .only  .Bijhops  ana]  Elders  fat  and  judg'd,  but  th&. 
Lolly  alio  had  equal  Liberty  with  them :    And  a  Lay-: 
ptan  m  tlicr  Prefence  of  the  whole  Council,  difputing 
Wh  a  pagan  Philolbpher,  overcame  him  and.. converted': 
hvn  to  •  the   Qhriftian  Faith  if) .      Laymen,  as    well  ~is 
Bi/hojs,  Elder s  and  Deacons,   reprefented  the  Churches;: 
to  which  they  belong'd  in  the  Synod  of  Antioch,  which'.'  < 
coridern n? d  Paulus  Samoseta n ys(u):     And. '  the. 
Faithful  m./jft '4  condemned  the  Montantfts(v)::  And  at. ' 
a  great  Sypod  held  at  Carthage  (w),  there  were  prefent." 
Eighty  ftven  Bijhops,   Jfrrejbyters   and  Deacons,    with  &r. 
great  Part  of  the  Laity  (x) :    Nay  Cardinal  Cusanvusv 
acknowkges,  that  Emperors  and  their  Judges,  who'  were 
Laymen  were  prejent  and  acted  m  the  eight  Councils  which' >' 
are  called  general  ( y)  i  And  even  Nicholas  the  Pope 

tells 


{  )    Mew'.  I.  i.  cap.  5. 
(>S)  Eupb.\.7.  cap.   p. 
0):£«ph\.$.  UpL  16. 
Ifw-i  tucit.   Ann   358. 

(*}£yptijn.  Epift.  14.  ,_....        

(y)  tic "Concordant.  Caiholic*  r;    -    '    ' 


(   »7  ) 

tells  theEftiperor'MicHAEL  to  the  fame  Furpofe-,- 
an&vhe  adds,  that  the  Faith  is  univerfal  and  common^  fe- 
lotiging  not  only  to  the  Clergy ,  but  alfo  to  the  Laity  and  to 
dCwhfo  are  Chriftians(z). 

':  -Upon  fuch  Grounds  and  Reafons  as  thefe,  the  Chur- 
ches in  New-England  have  afferted  the  Right  of  the  Peo- 
ple to  fit  and  act  in  Synods  in  their  Platform  of  Church- 
Brfcipline:  And  agreable  to  thefe  Principles,  as  well  as 
the  /concurring  Practice   of  the  Primitive  Churches,, 
thefe  Churches  have  always  allow?d  the  Brethren  their" 
full  Liberty  in  Councils.     And  it  is  worthy  to  be  re-, 
marked,  that  in  the  Synod  of  thefe  Churches,  convened 
iri  the  Year  1679,  fome  Elders  came  from  fome  parti- 
cular" Churches  to  reprefent  them  without  any  Brethren  •, 
at,  which  the  Synod  was  fo  far  difiatisned,  that  they 
would  not  fuffer  thofe  Paftors  to  fit  with  them,  until  they 
had  prevailed  with  their  Churches  to  fend  fome  Brethren 
along  with  them  :  For  they  were  very  jealous  of  allow- 
ing any  Thing,  that  might  look  like  an  Infringement  of. 
that  Liberty  which  by  Divine  Inflitution  belongs  to 
particular  Churches. 

But,  if  any  fhall  remain  diffatisfied  upon  this  Head, 
after  ail  that  has  bin  offered :  I  rnuit  beg  leave  to  Fefer " 
them  for  the  more  full  Difplay  and  Confirmation  of  it 
to  a;,  learned  Difquiftion  concerning  Ecclefeaftical  Councils, 
whidvwas publihYd  by  my  Grandfather  Dr.  Increase 
Math-er  -9  wherein  there  is  enow  faid  to  fatisfy  any 
reafonable  Man  concerning  this  Right  of  the  Brethren  ' 
for  -which  1  have  bin  pleading. 

-Thefe  Churches  in  New- England  have  never  con- 
vened .in  a  General  Synod  but  upon  the  Motion  of  the 
Civil '  hiagijlrate  to  confider  of  Affairs  wherein  all  the 
Churches  were  concerned  ;  But  they  fuppofe,  notwith- 
franding  this,  that  they  have  a  full  Liberty  to  meet  in 
Synods^  without  the  Direction  of  the  Civil  Magiftrate . 
For  fuch  a  Liberty  the  primitive  Churches  had  before 

Cont 


(z)  vid*  Epift.  ejus.  1.  \%  cap.  to. 


~. 


T         ft    ^ 

Const  an  tine  afcended  the  Imperial  Throne  :  And 

iurely  no  Chriftian  Prince  has  any  Right  to  hinder  thefe 
Churches  in  the  Exercife  of  this  Liberty,  when  they 
judge  it  requifite  for  the  preferving  of  their  Peace  and 
good  Order. 

And  this  will  more  efpecially  appear,  if  it  be  con- 
fidered,  that  the  Synods  of  thefe  Churches  are  not  like  thofe 
of  other  Churches  :  For  they  have  no  Weapons  but  what 
are  fpiritual :  They  neither  pretend  to  nor  defire  any 
Power  that  is  juridical :  If  they  can  but  inftrucl  and 
terfuade,  they  gain  their  End :  But,  when  they  have 
clone  all,  the  Churches  are  ftill  free  to  accept  or  refufe 
their  Advice  :  As  they  have  no  fecular  Power  to  enforce 
their  Canons,  they  neither  afk  nor  defire  its  Aid.  And, 
ficvee  thefe  Synods  are  fuch  innocent  and  inoffenfive 
ciD:--gs^  none,  that  have  any  due  Information  concerning 
them,  can  reafonably  object  againft  their  Meeting  to- 
gether or  forbid  them,  without  a  manifeft  Invafwn  of  the 
common  Liberties  of  Mankind. 

I  have  laid,  that  thefe  Churches,  when  they  meet  in 
Synoas,  claim  to  themfeives  no  Juridical  Power :  For 
tiiey  are  of  the  celebrated  Cham ier's  Opinion,  that 
ibe  Determination  of  a  Council  or  Synod  is  perfuafive,  not 
comtuljive\  a  minifterial  Judgment,  not  bringing  along 
idth  it  ary  Authority  and  Neceffity  •,  and  fo  a  decifive 
Suffrage  not  in  itfelf  but  as  it  is  taken  out  of  the  Scrip- 
\>(&):  And  they  can  heartily  fall  in  with  the  De- 
claration of  the  famous  Ho  mm  ius,  that  the  Decrees  of 
Councils  ought  not  to  be  propounded  to  the  Churches  or  ob- 
truded upon  them,  as  Praetorian  Sayings  or  Perfian  De- 
crees, but  fhould  be  fent  unto  them,  that  they  may  examine 
ihem  by  the  Ride  cf  GOD'S  Word  (a):  And  it  is  with 

Plea. 


(&)  Stvitvt'ia  Conal<!  per  fe  iff  a  Suafionis  eft,  nonCoaHjunn  \ 
jbaicttiinfamjieriqfe^noH  Autbontatem  per  fe  Htceffitaitmqnt  ad 
fertns  '  adcuqut  Suffragtuth  dectfivum  von  per  fi,  fed  quatenus 
e^rSrr:hturitdepromtiiir%     Chamier.  Tom.  V.    Fanitrat.  Carvhol, 

i.  :.  Ciiv.  9. "ds  CoMciliis. 
(3)  feft.  H  mm,  Uc  Auihprit.  Conciiior,  Qityuu  18.  Thef.*^ 


jC  m ) 

Pleafure  that, they  read  the  free,  and  honeft  Confeffiong 
of  Dr.  Burne  T ,  that  the  Determinations  of  Council}, 
whether  the  greater  or  lefs,  feem  to  him  to  be  little  differ* 
ent  from  the  Decrees  of  Senates  or  Court s,  or  from  ibc 
Opinions  of  learned  Men  concerning  certain  Matter s  pre** 
pofed  for  them  to  confnlt  upon  -,  to  which  indeed  a  due 
Regard  ought  to  be  paid :  But?  he  adds,  as  for  any  Obli- 
gation that  lies  upon  us  to  receive  any  Opinions  concerning 
facred  Matters  and  embrace  them  as  Articles  of  Faith' % 
every  Man's  Confcience  is  to  be  his  Judge  in  the  lafi  Ap- 
peal, GOD  being  theWitnefs  to  his  Sincerity.  Dotlors^m- 
Congregations  ofDoclors,  may  err  as  gr  of  sly  as  any  others* 
and  build  upon  a  Foundation  of  Hay  or  Straw,  empty  and 
combuflible  Matter.  'This  I  conftantly  and  fir??ily  bel:jvey 
that,  fince  the  Times  of  the  Apoftles,  there  has  bin  no  in- 
fallible Tribunal  here  below  :  Nothing  of  equal  Authority ', 
of  equal  Certainty  with  the  facred  Writings,  neither  De- 
termination of  Council  nor  oral  Tradition  •,  and  that  Me??s 
Confciences  cannot  fo  far  be  bound  by  the  Opinions  of  any 
Perfons  whatever,  but  that  there  remains  in  private  Per- 
fons  the  Judgment  of  Difcretion,  which  is  to  be  direcled  by 
the  Rule  of  holy  Scripture  (b),  &c.  Thus  he  writes,  and 
much  more  to  the  fame  Purpofe.  And,  if  we  confult 
many  other  learned  Writers  of  the  Church  of  England? 
we  mail  find  Caufe  to  conclude  them  to  be  againft  the 
Power  and  Jurifdiclion  of  Councils,  and  that  they  are  for 
Concord  rather  than  Regimen  or  Government.  Thus  in 
the  Scheme  of  Church-Government,  drawn  up  by  the 
eminently  learned  Dr.  Ush  e  r,  Arch-Bifhop  of  Armagh, 
there  is  not  afcribed  to  Synodical  Conventions  any  proper 
Jurifdiclion  over  any  Parochial  Church.  And,  whereas 
ibme  affirm  the  Diocefan  Church  to  be  a  fingle  one  of  the 
loweft  Sort,  and  that  whatever  Power,  Authority  or 
Jurifdiclion  belongs  to  a  particular  Church  of  the  Joweil 
Rank  belongs  to  the  Diocefan  Church  •,  now  This  the 
famous  Dr.  Barrow  has  endeavoured  to  prove  -o  ys 

■'■  i '  - 


lb)*, 


Burnet,  de  Fide  8c  Qffisiis  ChrjfUanm   Cap. 


independent :  So  that,,  if  the  Bounds  pf  particular  Chur- 
ches be  made  Parochial,  it  mud  needs  follbwr  tfct^t 
what  is  faid  to  belong  to  the  Diccefan  Church  muft  be 
feted  in  "the  Parijh  Church.  And,  if  fo,  what  wiM- 
become  of  the  fuperiour  juridical  Power?  And  the 
worthy  Reforming Bifhops  Cranmer,  Tonstal  and 
others,  being  required  to  give  their  Opinion  concerning 
the  Authority  of  General  Councils,  freely  declared,  that 
this  Authority  did  not  floiv  from  the  Number  of  the. 
Bifhops,  but  the  Matter  of  their  Beciftons :  So'  that,  by 
this,  they  could  never  by'  their  Authority  make  an 
indifferent  Thing  to  become  a  Duty  :  But,  as  Grot  i  us 
expre'rTes  it,  prceeant  ipfi  Judicio  diretfivo,  they  may 
mew  Men  what  they  apprehend  to  be  Sin  and  Duty ; 
not,  like  Parliaments,  make  any  Thing  finful  or  a  Duty 
which  was  not  fo  before. — '—  But  having  occafxonally 
mention'd  Grot i us,  I  would  take  the  Occafion  here 
to  mention  it,  that  [in  his  Book  Be  Imperio  Sum. 
Potefiat:  p.  168.]  he  has  fully  proved  that  there  was 
never  a  tritely  General  Council  called,  excepting  that  at 
Jeriffalem,  that  Councils  have  no  governing  or  legiflative 
Power  by  Bivine  Right,  and  that  what  was  written  in 
Synods  for  the  lake  of  Order  are  not  called  Laws,  but 
Canons,  and  have  the  Force  of  Advice  only,  or  oblige  by 
Way  cfConfent  and  Agree?nent.  But  to  return,  I  would 
cite  a  Paffage  from  tlie  learned  Mr.  Richard 
Hooker,  wherein  he  delivers,  not  only  his  own  par- 
ticular Judgment,  but,  as  he  apprehended,  the  Judg- 
ment of  the  Church  of  England :  The  Paffage  of  this 
zealous  AfTertor  of  the  Church's  Authority  to  which  I 
refer,  is  to  be  feen  in  his  celebrated  Book  of  Ecclefiafii- 
cat  Polity,  and  is  as  follows  •,  I  grant,  feys  he,  thai 
Proof  derived  from  the  Authority  of  Man's  Judgment  is 
not  able  to  work  that  Affurance,  which  doth  grow  by  a 
flronger  Proof-,  and  therefore,  alt  ho9  ten  thoufand  General 
Councils  fhould  fet  down  one  and  the  faine  definitive  Sen- 
tence concerning  any  Point  of  Religion  whatfoever  -,  yet 
v'0  demonftrative  Reafon  alkdged  or  one  Teftimony  cited 

from 


OkO 


from  the  Word  of  GOD  Him/elf  to  the  Contrary  couli 
not  chufe  but  overfway  them  all:  Inafmuch  as  for  ..them 
to  be  decerned  it  is  not  fo  impojfible,  as  it  is.  that  Demon- 
ftrative  Reafon  or  Divine  Teftimony  fhould  deceive. 

And  yet,  after  all,  it  is  of  very  little  Gonfequence 
unto  us,  who  are  for  or  againft  a  Juridical  Power  ia 
Synods 'or  Councils:  It  is  enow  for  us,  that  we  have /weigh- 
ty and  unto  us  fufficient  and  fathfatlory  Reafons  againft 
allowing  fitch  a  Power  unto  them.  And  the  Reafons , 
which  have  moved  thefe  Churches  to.  give  into  thefe 
Sentiments,  are  fuch  as  thefe :  We  know,  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  jupr erne  Teacher  fent  from 
GOD,  and  that  His  Word  is  the  fupreme  Law  of 
Chrifiians,  altogether  infallible,  and  that  therefore  oicr 
loft  Appeal  ought  to  be  to  that :  We  think,  that  all  the 
Power i  which  any  Servants  of  Christ  ought  to  havp 
in  the1  Churches,  is  minifterial  only,  and  not  Praetorian  : 
Our  Opinion  is,  that,  if  the  Embajfadors  of  earthly 
Princes  may  not  exceed  the  Inftructions  of  their  Me- 
ters, much  lefs  may  any  Minifters,  or  Embafladors.oF 
the  Prince  of  Peace  go  beyond  the  Directions  of  their 
great  Lord  and  Mailer:  It  is  our  Judgment,  that,  if 
the  Determinations  of  Councils  be  founded  upon  tht  Opi- 
nions of  Men,  weak  and  fallible  Men,  and  not  upon 
the  Truth  of  God's  Word,  the  blefted  God  would 
be  contrary  to  Himself:  For  how  can  it  be  con- 
ilftent  for  Him,  to  define  and  appoint  one  Thing  in  'the 
Scripture,  and  to  determi?ie  otherwife  in  a  Council  ?  And, 
in  fine.  We  are  confirmed  in  thefe  our  Sentiments 
from  the  Pratlice  of  all  lawful  Councils :  For  we  find 
in .  the  Apoftolical  Council,  James  anfvvered ,  faying, 
Men  and  Brethren,  hearken  to  me :  SIMEON  hath  de- 
clared, how  GOD  at  firft  didvifit  the  Gentiles  to  take 
<  cut  of  them  a  People  for  his  Name :  And  to  this  agree  the 
Words  of  the  Prophets,  as  in'  A6t.  ..XV. ...  14  /and  .1  £, 
And,  agreable  to  this,  has  bin  the  Practice  of  other 
approved  Councils t  For,  fo  fays ';,  Atha^j  as i us, 
m  tHe "Council  of  -Nice? vthe  Faith  of  the'  Fathers  was 
j     R  delivered 


'delivered  according  to  the  Scriptures  (c) :  And  Am  b  ros£ 
expreffes  himfelf  to  the  fame  Effect  (d)  :  And  we  find, 
that  the  Mikviian  Council  decides  the  Controverfies 
raifed  by  Pelagius  only  from  the  facred  Scripture: 
And  other  Councils  befides  have  followed  the  fame 
Method. 

But,  if  any  Councils  mould  fwerve  from  the  Scrip- 
tural Directions  and  Rules,  ftill  we  mould  appeal  to 
the  Law  and  to  the  Teftimony  and  confult  the  Mind  of 
our  Heavenly  Father  in  His  unerring  Oracles :  So 
Brentius  thought ;  and  therefore,  when  Co c h l  je u s , 
in  urging  the  Invocation  of  Saints,  pleaded,  that  what 
the  Church  our  Mother  had  /aid  upon  this  Matter  was 
to  be  heard,  Brentius  made  this  wife  Reply,  What^ 
faid  He,  if  my  good  Father  hath  commanded  me  otherwife  ! 
Quid  fi  Pater  diver fum  prcecipiat! 

Some  of  our  Brethren,  we  are  fully  fenfible,  think  it 
not  enow  for  Councils  to  perfuade  and  give  Advice, 
but  want  fomething  more  for  them ;  nor  can  they  be 
pleafed,  unlefs  they  have  them  clothed  with  a  binding 
juridical  Power :  But  to  thefe  our  Brethren  it  is  fuffici- 
ent  to  fay,  that,  if  they  would  have  this  Power  of  bind- 
ing and  giving  Law  in  indifferent  Things,  they  are  for 
exceeding  the  Bounds  of  the  Commiffion  which  was  given 
to  the  Apoftles  themfelves :  And  a  larger  Commiffion 
than  theirs  cannot  with  any  Modefly  be  challenged  by 
Elders,  Synods  or  Churches.  But,  if  this  binding  Power 
be  defired  and  pleaded  for  only  in  Effential  Matters, 
then  we  may  proceed  and  argue  thus,  that,  as  Synods 
may  meet  to  communicate  Light  and  Peace  to  fuch 
Perfbns  or  Churches  as  are  erronious  or  contentious, 
they  may  aifo  at  the  fame  Time  have  Power  not  only 
to  give  Light  and  Counfel,  but  likewife  to  require  them  in 
■  the  Name  of  JESUS  CHRIST  to  attend  and  conform  to 
the  fame :   But,  after  all,   we  mufl  fuppofe   that  the 

Decrees 


(c)  Athancif.  in  Epift,  ad  Epitfet.  Epifc.  Corinth. 
(d}  Jmhof.  de  Fide  ad  Gratia^  I  i.cap.  8, 


( m ) 

Decrees  and  Refults  of  Councils  are  formed  upon  Scriptural 
Grounds :  And,  if  fo,  then  all  the  Authority ,  to  which 
Synods  may  pretend,  is  only  declarative :  And  then  this 
Queftion  will  unavoidably  arife,  whether  the  PaJJages, 
upon  which  their  Decrees  and  Refults  were  founded, 
were  well  under  food  and  properly  applied  or  no  ?  And, 
if  it  Khali  be  honeftly  conceived,  that  they  had  not  a  good 
Underfianding  of  the  Scriptures,  then,  according  to  all  the 
Principles  of  Reafon  and  of  Proteftantifm,  their  Decrees 
can  have  no  fuch  binding  Authority  :  If  therefore  Infalli- 
bility be  a  pure  Cheat,  the  Pretence  of  a  binding  juridical 
Authority  in  Councils  and  Synods  muft  be  fo  too ;  and 
fuch  an  unnatural  Confequence  of  Ecclefiaftical  Power  in 
any  Hands  whatfoever  muft  be  entirely  unreafonable. 

Many,  we  are  aware,  are  forward  to  contend,  that 
Councils  and  Synods  are  not  fo  liable  to  err  as  particular 
Churches,  and  that  therefore  Appeals  fhould  in  all  Cafes 
be  preferred  unto  them  :  This  is  the  Reafon,  which  the 
celebrated  Ru therfurd  gives  for  fuch  Appeals  i 
And,  if  this  be  the  Reafon  of  fuch  Appeals,  it  will  then 
follow,  that  the  great  eft  Ajfemblies  fhould  err  the  feldomeft, 
inafmuch  as  they  have  moft  Eyes,  and  fo  Appeals  fhould 
be  frequently  jnade  in  difficult  Cafes  unto  them  :  So  that, 
by  this  Rule,  all  Matters  of  Importance  will  be  brought 
before  General  and  Oecumenical  Councils :  And  what 
ihali  we  fay  to  thefe  plaufible  Arguings  ? 

In  Anfwer  to  them,  I  could  argue  and  urge  it,  that, 
according  to  this  Method  and  Rule  of  Proceeding, 
Caufes  would  be  too  long  depending,  and  probably  would 
never  come  to  an  Ijfue :  Whereas  we  think,  that  our 
blefTed  Saviour  has  made  a  better  Provifion  for  His 
Churches  than  this :  But,  inftead  of  prefling  this  Argu 
nient,  I  would  obferve,  that  whole  Synods  and  General 
Councils  are  as  liable  to  deceive  and  be  deceived  and  irr>~ 
pofed  on  as  particular  Churches. 

This  is  evident  from  Fact :  For  not  to  infift  con- 
cerning the  Members  and  Managements  of  that  famous 
Synod3  which  the  .good  old  Pa  reus  wanted  fo  much 

R  %  £Q 


to  fe£$jf|g  I  -would  not  maintain.-b^es^hat  the  &$far3k& 

ches   could     not  well  be    reprefented  by  th'em;<Jri<  v 
afmucjv..as  the  Synod  confifted  of  Seventeen.  QefcgntiK 
who : were-appointed  not  . by  the  Churches^  btit  by:  Jtikgmsi 
OrdguJGeneral  of-  the  united  Provinces.,  &n&Jc£  Eighty  ~ ;-, 
threzfMinifters  or  Elders  or  Divines  of  the  united  Pi/Or      : 
vinge&and  from  foreign  Parts.     Nor  would  I  -cjwell- 
upoji* the-  Teftimony  of  Dr.  Balcanojjal,  that.  be&    \ 
mil  ft* needs  fay  the  Remonftrants  had  no  Favour  Jhewn .' : 
tbevi.(g)  ;  Much  lefs  would  I  mention  the  Declaration; 
of  Ep  i  so  op  i  us  concerning  Them  before  the  Synod;    v 
that  They  were  brought  forth  tanquam  in  publici  Odii    - 
Viclimas  (h),  as  Viftims  of  the  publick  Hatred  :  Thefe 
are  tender  Points :  And  I  therefore  let  them  go.     Yet    . 
I  cannot  omit  one  Thing  determined  in  this  Synod:    . 
By  This  I  mean  the  Decree  of  the  Synod  concerning 
the  Queftion  moved  by  thofe  of  Amfterdam  about  ther    : 
Baptifm  cf  a  Child  bom  of  Ethnic  Parents :  Now  this-    £ 
Decifion  confided  of  two  Parts:  The  firfl  concerned    i 
Jdulis,  and  was  this,  that  fetch  as  were  of  Tears,  OffltpH 
Capacity  -jhoidd  be  diligently  taught  and  catechized,  and. 
then^if  they,  did  defire  it,  they  fbould  be  baptized :    TheA 
Second .concerned  Infants,    and  it  was,  that  until  they  .1  ' 
came  io  Tears  of  Difcretion  they  jhould  by  no  Means  be 
baptized :  Upon  which  Decree  the  memorable  and  ju- 
dicious Mr.  Hales,  who  was  a  Member  of  the  Synod, 
writes/'. to  the  Right  Honourable  My  Lord  Embaffador  . 
Carlton,  A  ft  range  Decifion  -,    and  fetch  aj,  if  isp 
Memory  or  Reading  fails  me  not,  no  Church  either  ancient  - 
or  modern  ever  gave  (i).— But  not  to  dwell  upon  what 
was  amifs  in  this  Synod,  or  in  any  other ;  T  proceed  :. 
to  write  concerning  the  Errors,  Miftakes  and  Mifcon-    . 

;du6t 

*■  ■  ■    ■  '        ""      "  ■  k     i.    1    ■■'        iiiii'm     ' 

(f)  0  utinam  mibi  datetur  in  ultima  jam  SeneBute  venetsndam 
hanc  <^ynodum  confpieaii.  Pa>&i.  Epift.  ad  Synod,  in  Aft.  Synod. 

(g).  Dt  Baieanquafs  Lettets  from  the  Synod  in  the  Remains 
of  Mr.  //.:.'<?  j.  -  -  *    ' 

(h)  Epjfzopv.  Ortt.  inter  Aft  a  Synodal? 

(i)  Set  Haiti's  Remains- 


C  »f) 

6nd:o¥fom€  of  -the'  Conventions,  which  they  call  G^- 
neral&ountils. 

Ntiwir  is  certain  and  undoubted,  that  there  was  a 
remarkable  Cheat  put  upon  the  whole  General  Council 
at  Afiiminum  by  V a l e n s  and  Ursacius  and  fome 
few  Other  Eaftern  BifKops,  who  in  the  Decree  of  the 
Nicene  Council  read  omoioufios  for  omooufios  (<?).  And 
it  is  "alfo  evident  from  Facl,  that  fome  of  the  great  eft 
Councils may  ufe  many  mean  and  trickifh  Arts :  Such 
to  be'fure  were  ufed  in  the  great  Council  at  Bafil  in 
the  Year  143 1,  which  ended  in  the  Year  1442,  iir 
which  the  Bohemians  for  four  Days  pleaded  four  Arti- 
cles, -namely,  the  Sacraments  in  both  Kinds ,  cor  reeling 
public  CrimeSy  Liberty  to  preach  GOD's  Wordy  and  con- 
cerning'the  Civil  Power  of  the  Clergy:  And,  in  this 
famous  Council,  after  many  Petitions  and  fome  fair 
Promifes  and  hopeful  Approaches  upon  them,  the 
Bohemians  could  not  obtain  their  Defire  in  one  Inftance  \ 
but  ^Tricks  were  continually  devifed  to  elude  their 
Hopes'  and  Expectations,  and  Inconveniences  that 
would  follow  upon  fuch  Conceflions  powerfully  argued. 
— And/  Father  Paul  of  Venice,  like  a  wife  and  honeil 
Man,' has  plainly  declar'd  the  many  Quirks  and  Tricks 
of  the:  accurfed  Cabal,  commonly  called  the  Council  of  ; 
Trent:  .— '     7 

Arid,  that  General  Councils  are  not  infallible,  may  be 
eafily  demonftrated  from  undoubted  Hiftories:  Thus 
the  largeft  Council  that  ever  was  known  eftablifhed  . 
Arianifm:  And  thus  That,  which  the  Papifts  call  the  "; 
Seventh  General  Council,  was  fuch  an  one,  that  the  good 
and  iexcellent  Dr.  Tillotson  remark'd  concerning 
it,  that,  if  a  General  Council  of  Atheifts  had  met  together 
<with  'JViDefign  to  abufe  Religion  by  talking  ridiculoufly 
concerning -it,  they  could  not  have  done  it  more  effete- 
ally  (k).     Thus  in  the  third  Council  of  the  Later  an  it 

v  :bonv2  rsh'i         ■ 

%ifm     .  (t  '   ^as 

(e)  Jetonu  ad v erf.  Lucifer-.*    *  -*"-*-'   '" **-*  ' 

(k)  tithf/op's Rule of  Fail*!,  p.  i$u 


was  decreed,  that  all  Princes  who  favored  Hereticks  did 
forfeit  their  Rights,  and  a  full  Indulgence  was  allowed  to 
^11  that  fought  againft  them  :  And,  in  the  fourth  Council 
at  the  fame  Place,  it  was  decreed,  that  the  Pope  might 
declare  this  Forfeiture  and  abfolve  their  Subjetls  from 
their  Oath  of  Allegiance  and  fo  transfer  their  Domini- 
ons unto  others.  In  the  firft  Council  at  Lyons  they 
joined  with  the  Pope  in  depofing  the  Emperor  Frede- 
ric the  firft  by  a  Sentence  againft  him  :  And  in  the 
Council  of  Conftance,  which  Luther  judged  to  be 
tnoft  deferving  of  Reproach  (a),  it  was  decreed,  that  the 
Faith  [or  Promife]  of  fafe  Conducl  was  not  to  be  kept 
with  an  Heretic,  that  fhould  come  to  the  Place  of  Judg- 
ment relying  upon  it,  &c. 

We  may  fay  therefore,  and  bring  the  Confeflion  of 
an  .Englifh  Synod  in  Herbert's  Hiftory  to  vouch  for 
O'jr  faying  it,  that  there  is  not,  nor  can  be  any  Thing  in 
the  V/orld  more  peftilent  or  pernicious  to  the  Commonwealth 
cf  Chrifendom,  or  whereby  the  'Truth  of  GOD's  Word 
kaih  bin  in  Times  paft,  or  may  be  fooner  defaced  or  fub~ 
verted,  or  whereof  may  enfue  more  Contention  or  Difcord 
o"  ether  DeviliJJj  Effecls,  than  when  General  Councils 
have  bin  or  jhall  be  hereafter  ajfembled,  not  chriftianly  nor 
charitably,  but  upon  worldly  or  carnal  Confederations* 
And  we  may  take  leave  to  add,  that  the  Obfervation 
YvYiich  Dv.  Wake,  the  late  learned  Arch-Bifhop  of 
Qanferbuty  has  made  concerning  fome  Synods  will  hold 
good  concciYiing  all  General  Councils  alio,  namely,  that 
*■  there  is  hardly  any  Thing  in  Antiquity,  which  either 
c*  more  expoied  our  Chriftian  Profeffion  heretofore,  or 
"  may  more  deferve  our  ferious  Confideration  at  this 
f'  Day,  than  the  Violence,  the  Paffion,  the  Malice,  the 
"  Falfenefs  and  the  Oppreffon,  which  reigned  in  moft  of 
"  the  Synods  held  by  CONSTANTINE  and  the  following 
^  Emperor/3.     Thus  he,     And  Dr.  Burnet  juftly 

ob« 


(a)  Consilio   Conftanucufj  CoTituuieha  Vigwffw*  "  Utthr* 


(  m  ) 

pbfer-ves*  that  the  Writers  of  the  fourth  and  fifth,  Cen- 
turies give  us  difmal  Reprefentations  of  the  Councils  of 
thofe  Times.  And  befides,  there  is  Reafon  to  think  that 
Truth  and  Right  may  fometimes  be  found  with,  one 
fingle  Perfon  as  foon  as  in  a  Council :  SoCyprian.,  in 
his  Seventy  firft  Epiftle,  allows,  that  many  Things  are 
better  revealed  to  Jingle  Perfons  :  Nay  we  have  a  Proof 
of  this  in  the  firft  Council  of  Nice,  which  is  reputed  the 
beft  of  any  ;  for  there  had  certainly  bin  iflued  a  Canon 
for  divorcing  married  Priefts,  if  the  old  Paphnutius 
had  not  flood  up  and  reafoned  againft  it. 

The  Church  of  England  has  well  determined  in  its 
nineteenth  Article,  that  the  Churches  of  Jerufalem, 
Alexandria,  Antioch  and  Rome  have  erred  in  Points  of 
the  greateft  Confequence :  And,  in  the  twenty  firft  Arti- 
cle, that  General  Councils  may  err. 

But  yet,  fuppofing  that  a  General  Council  were  infal- 
lible,  we  muft  then  conclude,  that  the  Church  has  now 
loft  its  Infallibility :  For,  as  there  has  bin  no  fuch  Coun- 
cil for  many  Scores  of  Years,  there  is  alfo  no  Likeli- 
hood of  another:  And,  if  there  might  be  one,  the 
many  Villanies  in  Trent  may  fufficiently  inftruct  the 
World  that  no  Good  is  to  be  expected  from  fuch  a 
Council. 

Upon  the  whole  then ;  Since  even  General  Councils 
,  may  trick  and  be  trick'd,  and  are  as  liable  to  err  as  a 
Synod  or  even  a  particular  Church  ;  Mankind  muft  be 
very  ftupid  indeed  to  think,  that  they  fhoidd  have  a 
binding  Power  and  may  force  their  Decrees  upon  any 
Society  or  Perfon. 

But  yet,  if  after  all  it  mould  be  allowed  for  Argu- 
ment's fake,  xhzx.  fuch  Councils  were  infallible  and  all 
their  Decrees  were  entirely  agreable  to  the  Mind  of  GOD  ; 
it  will  not  never thelefs  appear,  that  they  have  any  juri- 
dical Power  at  all :  For,  if  we  grant  them  a  Doclrhid 
Power,  by  which  they  could  unerringly  clear  up  dje 
Mind  of  God  our  Saviour,  (till  the  Power  ofjurif- 
ditlion,  as  has  bin  already  explained,  would  remain  in 


(iz8) 

the  particular  Churches ,  wherein  Christ  Jesus  has 
placed  the  fame :  And  indeed  this  is  no  more  than  what 
that  excellent  Prefbyterian  Mr.  Rutherfurd  is  rea- 
dy to  acknowlege,  as  I  have  before  quoted  him. 

In  fine  ;  'The  Way  of  thefe  Churches  has  bin,  and  it  is 
the  left  Way  that  can  be  obferved,  to  enquire  where  our 
llejfed  SAVIOUR  has  placed  the  laft  Cenfuring  and  final 
Determination  of  Caufes :  And,  having  found  this,  they 
ought  to  reft  contented :  Councils  and  Synods,  when  Ad* 
vice  and  Affiftance  is  needed,  may  be  ufed  by  them  ;  but 
it  is  not  either  their  not  Erring  at  all  or  their  Erring 
more  rarely,  that  is  a  fufficienr  Reafon  for  placing  any 
Power  of  Jurifdiction  in  them,  unlefs  our  great  Lord 
and  Mailer  has  ordered  that  they  fhall  have  fuch  a 
Power :  But,  as  yet,  this  does  not  appear. 

Wherefore  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  the  Brethren  in 
thefe  Churches  will  always  maintain  their  Right  to  fit 
and  atl  in  Councils  and  Synods  -,  but  yet  that  they  will 
never  think  of  placing  any  juridical  Power  in  them,  but 
will  always  continue  to  affert  the  Powers  and  Privileges 
of  particular  Churches,  which  are  f acred  Things,  by  no 
means  to  be  flighted  and  undervalued,  nor  to  be  left  at 
the  Mercy  of  any  Qlajfes  or  Councils,  Synods  or  General 
Meetings. 

I  was  going  to  tranflate  and  conclude  this  Chapter 
with  the  Tranflation  of  fome  ParTages  from  Luther's 
Preface  to  the  four  German  Epiftles  of  the  worthy 
John  Huss  -,  but  I  believe  They  will  found  better  in 
the  plain  and  blunt  Language  of  the  Writer,  and  there- 
fore I  chufe  to  give  them  as  I  find  them. 

: — —Having  mentioned  fome  of  the  vile  and  mif- 
chievous  Confequences  of  the  Council  of  Conftance  \  He 
then  writes  (o),  Hifcilicet  funt  dukes  illi  Fruclus,  qucsh 
Conftantienfe  Concilium  tarn  venerabile,  imo  execrabik* 
protulit.  Quare  merito  de  Eo  Exemplum  fumeremus,  ne 
deinceps,  fi  quod  Concilium  fieret,  tarn  perverfis  &  infants 

Afinis— 


(o)  Luthr*  ad  Fin*  PtasfaL  Epift,  ?,  Hufu 


( ■■lip  ) 

'  fflfiMtM  Catifatri  ''ReUgionis  committer  emus.  g)uin  tmo 
Imperatoris,  ^Regitm;  Principum  &  Epifcoporum  erity 
famma  Cur  a  fummoque  Studio  cavere,  ne  vet  fimilia  Jint9 
<vel  deteriora  futuri  Concilii  'Alia.  Satis  enim,  opinory 
manifefte  DEuS  in  Concilio  Mo  Conftantienfi  declaravi!, 
auam  mn  pofit  ullam  ferre  Superbiam,  quamque  'fibi  ju- 
cundum  fit  difpergere  fuperbos  mente  Cordis  fui,  quah- 
'tumvis  etiam  Mi  in  hoc  Mundo  Potentia  polleant.  ~^%i 
igitur,  hoc  Exemplo  edotlus,  non  vult  fieri  cauticr,  vi 
cum  a  me  pr&monitus  fit,  liberum  efto,  ut,  facfo  Peri- 
ciilo,  re  ipfa  Perverjitatem  illorum  experiatur.  The 
plain  Senfe  of  which"  Paffages,  in  mort,  is,  that  we 
ourielves  and  the  Reft  of  the  World  fhall  be  much  to 

"■  blame,  if,  after  the  Obfervations  which  have  bin  made 
with  regard  to  the  Managements  of  Synods  or  General 
-Councils,  we  fhall  be  fo  unadvifed  as  to  truft  them  and 
commit  the  Caufe  of  Religion  to  them. 


5.  *  A  A  .f •  A  A  A  A  A  A  *  *  A  ■£•  .f •  A  ?  A  'A  A  .&  -f • 

Chap.  VIII. 

J. 

r*»-c&  «*>  c«>  csv.  £T«  rep  ci£>  :£«  C5g\  r^  f^2fa  trw  prvi  ego  raa  cgi  rw  /  ^J3?4E? e]g? 

j£  -f  54  f-  'V  •$•  *•  *  '£'  *' *•  **'  **■  ■*>*  *  -v  **'  •*'*  &  *  T  **" 

s 


(  x3o) 


Chapter  VIII. 


The  Liberty  of  thefe  Churches  to  hold 
Communion  with  one  another  afFerted 
and  proved. 

TH  rough  the  Favour  of  our  bleffed  Saviour, 
His  Churches  may  hold  Communion  with  one  ayw-- 
ther :  For,  altho'  no  particular  Church  is  fubjecl  to 
another  particular  Church  of  however  large  an  Extent, 
as  the  Churches  in  the  united  Provinces  have  bin  fo 
free  as  to  declare  with  us  in  the  firft  Article  of  their 
Ecclefiaftical  Conftitution  -,  yet  all  the  Churches  may  enjoy^ 
mutual  and  reciprocal  Communion  among  themfelves : 
And  there  are  fever al  Ways,  wherein  this  Communion 
may  be  regularly  and  laudably  exercifed ;  fome  of  which, 
have  in  fome  Meafure  bin  confidered  or  hinted  at  be- 
Fore  -,  but  yet  there  will  be  no  great  Hurt  in  making 
a  particular  Mention  of  them  here  and  giving  a  fair 
Defcription  and  Recommendation  of  them. 

Firft  of  all\  Thefe  Churches  may  partake  with  one 
another  at  the  LORD's  Table ;  and  the  Members  of 
one  Church,  coming  occafionally  to  another  where  the 
Eucharifl  is  to  be  adminiftred,  may  at  their  Defire  be 
admitted  to  the  Privilege  of  partaking  in  that  holy 
Ordinance -,  provided,  that  neither  they,  nor  the  Chur-- 
ches  to  which  they  belong,  are  chargeable  with  any' 
fcandalous  Offence :  For  we  are  for  receiving  the  Com- 
munion in  all  the  Affemblies  cf  the  Faithful,  as  well  as 
in  the  particular  Churches  to  which  we  belong*,  con- 
fidering  the  Lord's  Supper  as  the  Seal  of  our  Com- 
munion  both  v/ith  Jesus  Christ  and  His  faithful 
People,  ■  jtfextlyi 


. 


030 

Nextly  v  Encouraged  by  the  Example  of  the  Apoftle 
Paul,  who  recommended  Phebe  a  Member  of  the 
Church  at  Cenchrea  to  the  Church  at  Rome-,  thefe 
Churches  may  recommend  their  Brethren  to  Neighbour 
Churches,  giving  a  good  Teftimony  concerning  them 
and  entreating  the  Neighbour  Churches  to  receive  them 
to  their  facred  Fellowfhip  and  to  watch  over  them  in 
Brotherly  Love :  And,  if  any  Brother  have  real  Occa- 
fion,  either  on  the  Account  of  his  Bufinefs  or  for  any 
other  juft  End  and  Motive,  to  remove  with  his  Family 
and  take  up  his  Abode  in  fome  other  Place,  and  here-n 
upon  acquaints  the  Church  to  which  he  belongs  of  his 
Purpofe  and  the  Grounds  of  his  Removal ;  the  Church 
may  then  write  more  full  Letters  of  Recommendation  ta 
the  Church  to  which  he  removes,  refigning  him  to  their 
Charge  and  entreating  them  to  receive  him  as  a  Brother 
and  allow  him  all  the  Privileges  of  the  Ecclefiaftical 
State  among  them :  And,  when,  according  to  the 
Tenour  of  fuch  Letters  recommendatory,  the  recom- 
mended Brother  is  accepted  into  the  Fellowfhip  of  the 
Churchy  he  is  to  all  Intents  and  Purpofes  a  Member  of 
that  Church  -,  fo  that  he  may  perform  the  Duties  and 
enjoy  the  Privileges  of  a  Member  in  that  Society. 
—Such  Letters  of  Recommendation  the  Apoftle  Paul 
fpeaks  of  in  his  Second  Epiftle  to  the  Corinthians,  Chap. 
III.  Verfe  i,  as  needful  for  others,  tho'  not  for  him-, 
felf. —  And  befides  it  is  reafonable  in  itfelf  that  none, , 
without  any  Recommendations  from  the  Churches  to  which 
they  belong,  mould  claim  or  be  allowed  the  Privileges 
of  Societies  to  which  they  have  no  Relation  or  do  not 
properly  appertain. 

thirdly ;  If  any  particular  Church,  that  for  a  con- 
fiderable  Time  has  walked  in  the  Few  of  GOD  and  the 
Comforts  of  the  HOLT  SPIRIT,  has  bin  edified  anl% 
?nultiplied  to  fuch  a  Degree  as  to  be  overcharged  with_ 
Members  ;  they  may  fend  forth  their  Members  that  are 
qualified  for .-it  to  enter  into  an  Ecclefiaftical  State  among: 
themfel  ves ;  And  by  the  (ame  Reafons  if  a  Number  of 

S  z  Chriftians 


C.I3°. 

Chfiftians  tfiduld  come  from  foreign  Parts  *  to  a  .Place 
whzfe-  thevChuf-ch  may  be  lb  full  that  they  cannot  con- 
veniently-join  with  it,  that  Church  may   warrantabiy 
encourage  them  to  enter  into  cm  holy  Combination  among 
them ^Ivcs :    For    fuch  a  Propagation    of  Churches  is' 

f^raablc  to   Nature  and  Realbn,  confonant  with  the 
ra&ice  qt  the  Apoftles  and  indeed  necefifary  for  the 
Enlargement  of  our  Saviour's  Kingdom  in  all  Na- 
tions and  Generations  to  the  End  of  the  World. 
*'' Fourthly,   When  particular  Churches  have  Occafion  oft 
fpiritual  Refrejhmeni    or    te?nporal  Succour,    Neighbour- 
Churches  may  afford  it :  They  may  furnifh  them  witli 
$m  Members  or  /pare  fuitable  Officers  to  them  ;  and,  "if 
they  can  conveniently  fend  fuch  to  their  indigent  Neigh- 
bours, they  ought  with  Readinefs  to  impart  them  :  For' 
fo,  when  'Tidings  came,  to  the  Ears  of  the  Church' at  Jeru- 
idem,  [concerning  the  Succefs  of  the  Gofpei]  they'tfeni- 
forth  BARNABAS  that  he  jhould go  as  far  as  Antioch, 
as  in  A&.  XL  22  :    And  it  is  entirely  fit,    that  fuch 
Churches  as  are/}///  of  ufeful  Members  and  Officers  mould 
be  ready  from  their  Fulnefs  to  fupply  the  Neceffities  of 
their  Brethren  in  other  Churches.  — And,  if  any  of  our 
prethrcn  mould  fill  into  fuch  poor  external  Circumftancet 
that  they  cannot  fupport  ihemfelves  and  the  Gofpel,  it'  is  • 
then  our  Duty  ioriinifter  to  their  Neceffities  as  God  fhall 
enable  us :  For  io  the  Churches  of  the  Gentiles  made' 
their  liberal  Contributions  for  the  poor  Saints   at  Jeru- 
falem,  as   in  Rom.  XV.  26  and  27;    where  alio  the 
Reafonablenefs  of  their  fo  doing  is  declared :    And  to  be 
fure  both  Reafon  and  Religion  challenge  it  from  Chur- 
ches to  do  Good  and  communicate  to  fuch  Brethren  and 
Churches  as  are  deftitute. 
-  Fifhly  >  Tbefe  Qhurches  may  lawfully  confab  with  em 
(mother  and  ougat  to  do  fo  as  Gccafion  requires :   Fob 
it  is  ve^y   probable,  that  other  Churches  may  be  better 
acquainted 'with  PcV/'ons  and  Ctiufes  than  ourfelves  ;  'and 
therefore  their  Judgment  and  Court  [el  ought  to  be  required. 
Thus  particularly,  when  a  new  Church  is  to  be  gathered, 

or 


C  m  ) 

or  Officers  tire  to  be  chofen  and  ordained  over  any  Church* 
or  there  is  fome  Difference  among  the  Brethren  about 
the  Adminiftration  of  the  Cenfures  of  the  Churches,  it 
is  fit  and  proper  to  confult  with  Neighbour  Churches ; 
and  Neighbour  Churches  fhould  be  ready  to  fend  their 
Elders  and  other  Delegates  to  help  them  with  their 
Advice  and  Counfel. —  And,  if  any  Church  fhould 
want  Light  in  any  Cafe  or  mould  be  at  Variancey  they 
fhould  defire  Neighbour  Churches  to  favour  them  with 
their  Counfel :  Whereupon  fuch  Churches,  convening  by 
their  Elders  and  other  MefTengers,  may  confider  the 
Points  in  Doubt  or  in  Controverfy  -9  and,  having  accord- 
ing to  their  beft  Underftanding  and  Endeavours  fought 
ike  Way  of  'Truth  and  Peace,  they  may  communicate  by 
Letters  and  MefTengers  their  Sentiments  and  Advice  to 
the  Churches  whofe  Cafe  has  bin  under  their  attentive 
and  prayerful  Confideration,  that  fo,  if  they  fee  meet, 
they  may  conform  to  the  fame  and  be  at  Peace. 

Thefe  are  fome  of  the  Ways  and  Manners,  wherein 
Churches  are  to  Jhew  their  Care  of  one  another  and  ex- 
prefs  their  Communion  with  each  other:  But  to  thefe 
there  is  another  to  be  added :  And  the  Sixth  Way, 
wherein  Churches  are  to  exercife  Communion  towards 
one  another,  is  the  Way  of  Communion  by  Admonition : 
This  is  called  the  third  Way  of  Communion  in  our  Plat- 
form of  Church- Difcipline,  Chap.  XVth :  And,  from 
that  Chapter,  it  appears,  that  this  Method  is  to  be  fol- 
lowed, when  any  public  Offence  is  to  be  found  in  a  Churchy 
which  they  either  difcern  not  or  are  flow  in  proceeding  to 

ufe-  the  means  for  the  Removing  and  Healing  of  it. 

I  -have  referved  the  Confideration  of  this  Way  to  this 
Place,  that  fo  I  might  enlarge  upon  it,  for  the  Inftruc- 
iim  of  fuch  as  are  unacquainted  with  it,  for  the  confirming 
of  fuch  as  are  wavering  in  their  Apprehenfwns  about  it, 
and  that  \  might  help  towards  removing  the  Prejudices 
£){  fuch.  as  have  diftinguifhed  themfelves  by  their  Op- 
tion ti  on  unto  it, 

If 


If  therefore  there  be  any  Corruption  in  any  Cfafefr 
iah.ether  in  Dotlrine  or  Manners  -,  a  particular  Church  in- 
the  Neighbourhood,  haying  received  a  credible  AccoUnf 
of  it  and  having  upon  diligent  Enquiry  found  the  Re~ 
fort  to  be  true,  they  fend  Letters  or  Meffengers  or  both*- 
to  the  Church  wherein  fuch  Corruption  is  arifen  and" 
prevailing,  and  admonifh    them  with   Faithfulnefs    anfc 
Speed  to  amend  it :  If  now  the  Elder  or  Elders  of  theh 
Church  fhould  be  fo  remifs  as  not  to  communicate  their 
Admonition,  or  mould  actually  be  in  Fault  themfelvesy^ 
the  offended  Church  mould  acquaint  the  Brethren  of  the\ 
Church  offending  with  the  Fault  and  exhort  them  to  calt\ 
upon  their  Elders  to  take  heed  that  they  fulfil  their  Mi-] 
111ft ry  which  they  have  received  of  the  LORD :  If  the  L 
Church  mall    hear  the   Admonition  and  remove  the 
Scandal,  the  Procefs  flops :    But,  if  the  corrupt  ancP 
peccant  Church  hear  not  their  Brethren-,  the  Churchy 
which  has  bin  offended  and  continues  to  be  grieved, 
then  takes  the  Help  of  two  or  three  more  Churches,  that 
fo  the  Admonition  difpenfed  may  by  them   be  jointly  en- 
forced:  And,  if  the  Church  lying  under  public  Offence 
Hill  perfifi  both  in  the  Negletl  of  their  Duty  and  -their- ^ 
Slight  of  the  good  Counfel  and  Admonition  cf  their  Bre- 
thren ;  thofe  Churches  may  forbear  Communion  with  the  m 
offending  Church  in  fuch  Exercifes  as  Churches  ufually  - 
maintain  towards  each  other ;  and  they  are  to  make  Ufe 
cf  the  Help  cf  a  Synod  or  a  large  Council  of  Congrega- 
tional Churches  for  their  Conviclion :  And,  if  they  bear 
not  this  Synod  or  Council,  the  Council  or  Synod  having 
declared  them  obftinate  and  impenitent  in  Scandal,  par- 
ticular Churches  approving  and  accepting  the  Judgment  of 
the  Synod  or  Council,  are  to  declare  the  Sentence  of  Non- 
Co?n?numon  refpeclively  concerning  them,   and  thereupon, 
cut  of  a  religious  Care  to  keep  their  own  Communion  pure,    '- 
they  may  jujlly  withdraw  themfelves  from  Participation  1  d 
with- than  at  the   LORD'S  'Table  and  from  fuch: .other--.' 
Atfs  of  fieWwjhip  as  are  otherwife  allowed  and  ireqidred  fo 
by  the  Ccuimnnion  of  Churches :  But  however  due  Care 

is 


Ci30 

is  to  betaken  in  fuch  a  Procefs,  that  the  Innocent  may 
nUfuffer  with  the  Offenfive :    For,  while  the  peccant, 
party  is  to  be  deprived  of  the  Privilege  of  Communion., 
with  thefe  Churches,  thofe  particular  Members  of  the. 
orTeiidmg  Church,  who  do  not  confent  to  the  Offence  of 
the,  Church  but  in  due  Sort  bear  their  Teftimony  againft  it,: 
may  be  received  to  wonted  Communion  in  the  Churches^ 
and,  afiw  due  Waiting  in  the  Ufe  of  Means  for  healing' 
the  Offence  of  the  Church,  may  withdraw  from  the  Com*'., 
munion  of  their  own  Church,  with  the  Allowance  of  the.. 
Council  of  Neighbour  Churches,  and  upon  offering  them-' 
felves  to  the  Communion  of  another  Church,  may  be  law-  * 
fidly.  received  by  that  Church,  as  if  they  had  bin  regularly  . 
dufaifs'd  unto  them  from  their  own  Church  continuing  . 
ft$rin_  Offence. 

-This  is  what  is  commonly  called  the  third  Way  of 
Communion  in  thefe  Churches,  but  it  would  be  better  . 
underftood  perhaps,  if  we  called  it  the  Way  of  Commu- 
nion^ by  Admonition.     It  muft  be  acknowleged  to  the 
Glory  of  God  our  Saviour,  that,  altho'  this  Difci-  . 
plinary   Procefs  has  bin  feveral  Times  undertook  with 
offending  Churches,  thefe  Churches  have  but  rarely  bin   , 
put-to  the  utmoft  Extent  of  their  Duty :   For  there  has 
hardly  bin  a  Church  fo  daringly  wicked  as  to  hold  out    . 
inc ^maintaining   the  Corruptions   and    Offences    found  - 
among  them :  But,  whenever  it  does  fall  out,   it  is  as ... 
?tmp,  the  Duty  of  thefe  Churches  thus  to  be  faithful  to 
eadi  other  as  it  is  the  Duty  of  Brethren  in  the  fame    . 
Church  or  Communion  to  be  faithful  to  one  another:   . 
Forr  thefe  Churches  enjoy  Brotherly  Communion  with  one 
another,  as  well  as  Brethren  of  the  fame  Church.     The 
A^oftles  had  the  Care  of  all  the  Churches :  But  it  is  to 
be-lxoped,  that  the  public  Spirit  of  Love  and  Peace  and 
Chpfiian  Faithfulnefs  is  not  dead  with  them  ;    There  is 
not^  it  is  true,  fo  much  of  this  Spirit  as  there  ought  to 
be?,: But,  wherever  it  refides  or  reigns  in   Churches, 
they  will  have  a  watchful  Eye  over  other  Churches  for 
th&r  Benefit;,. and  a  tender  Care  and  Concern  for  their 
-  •-     •        ":    Tr"  "    '   '  '"      ~     ~  belt 


C"30 

beft  Interefls,  and  willpurfue  the  fame  in  the  Difcipli- 
nary  Method,  which  has  bin  defcribed,  as  there  fhall  be 
Occafion  for  it. 

I  am  very  fenfible,  that  many  Perfons,  and  efpe- 
cially  Clergymen,  are  averfe  to  a  Compliance  in  the  leail 
with  this  Procefs  of  Difcipline,  and  that  for  this  Reafon  •„ 
becaufe  they  do  not  know  any  fuch  Thing  as  a  Confo- 
ciation  of  Churches  among  us :  So  that,  inafmuch  as  they 
do  not  know  that  there  is  any  exprefs  Agreement  of  the 
Churches  to  conform  to  fuch  a  Procefs,  they  cannot  think 
that  every  Church  is  obliged  to  regard  the  Determination 
of  a  Synod  in  fuch  a  Cafe. 

In  Anfwer  to  which  Pretence,  I  would  fay,  that  it 
is  doubtlefs  a  Miftake  to  declare,  that  there  is  no  fuch 
Thing  as  a  Confociation  of  Churches  among  us :  For  our 
Platfonn  of  Church-  Difcipline  is  to  be  deemed  a  Covenant , 
by  which  all  our  Churches  and  every  Member  in  them 
is  obliged  to  conform  to  the  Rules,  Directions  and 
Orders  laid  down  in  it :  And  for  the  Proof  of  this  I 
would  obferve,  that  this  Platform  was  compofed  by  thefe 
Churches  in  a  Body  Reprefentative :  So  that  the  plain 
Senfe  and  Meaning  of  the  Compofers  mull  be,  that 
they  engaged  to  conform  to  the  Rules  and  Orders  of  it., 
and  that  they  would  have  their  Succeffors,  as  well  a? 
themfeives,  directed  and  governed  by  them.  Nor  can 
I  h-ilp  obferving,  that  Approbation  (u)  of  our  Platform 
wa\  "voted  unoAiimoufiy  by  the  Elders  and  Brethren  of 
cur  Churches ;  and  there  was  notfo  much  as  one  appear* d> 

when 

(u)  This  rauft  not  be  underftood,  as  if  they  abfoluteljr 
bound  themfeives  to  a  perpetual  Conformity  unto  it  :  For  our 
vious  Fathers  renounced  all  Attachment  to  any  mete  humane 
iSyJlems  or  Forms,  and  referved  an  entire  and  perpetual  Liberty 
for  particular  Chriftians  and  particular  Churches  to  fear cb  tin 
snfpired  Records  and  to  form  both  their  Principles  and  VraBicc 
from  thofe  Difcoveries  they Jb Quid  make  therein,  without  impofwg 
ibem  upen  others;  as  you  may  fee  by  confulting  the  New-England 
Chronology  of  the  ingenious  Mr.  PRINCE  :  I  have  tefei'd  so 
the  Pages  \a  the  Append**  I©  this  Apology. 


C  137  ) 

when  the  Vote  was  put  in  the  Negative  in  the  Synod  on 
Sept.  10.  1679. 

And  befides,  that  this  Order  of  Church-Difcipline  is 
to  he  deemed  an  holy  Pacl  or  Covenant,  we  may  argue 
from  thofe  Synods  and  Councils  which  have  met  here  by 
Vertue  of  it  and  maintained  conftant  Fellow/hip  in  many 
fcederal  overt  Acts :  For,  from  thefe  federal  overt  Acts 
of  Councils  and  Synods  from  Time  to  Time,  it  is 
pretty  manifeft,  that  thefe  Churches  have  all  along  main- 
tained  their  fjrft  Principles  of  Church-Difcipline  and  fo 
have  tranfmitted  the  Covenant  which  they  made  to  fuc- 
ceeding  Generations. 

Furthermore ;  It  may  be  remarked,  that  in  the  Set- 
tlement of  new  Churches,  in  the  Ordination  of  Officers  in 
the  fame  Churches,  and  in  giving  the  Right  Hand  of  Fel- 
iowfhip,  of  the  Fellowfhip  of  the  Churches,  from  Time 
to  Time,  thefe  Churches  have  fo  often  plainly,  fignifi- 
cantly  and  formally  renewed  their  Original  Pacl  or 
Covenant. 

And  it  may,  moreover,  be  mention'd,  that  even 
fuch  Perfons,  as  have  made  this  Objeclion,  when  they  can 
find  any  Thing  in  our  Platform  of  Church-Difcipline 
fuited  to  their  own  Humours  and  Inclinations  and  that 
will  be  ferviceable  for  a  Turn  or  emergent  Occafion, 
are  very  ready  to  cite,  improve  and  conform  to  it :  And 
this  feems  to  afford  fome  Evidence,  as  if  they  them- 
felves  look'd  upon  it  as  a  ftanding  and  general  Compaff, 
until  the  Churches  fhall  agree  to  alter  it. 

Thefe  Hints  are  fufficient  to  render  it  probable,  and 
more  than  probable,  that  there  is  here  a  Conformation  of 
Churches,  and  that  between  thefe  Churches  there  is  ftill 
a  mutual  Confederation  :  But,  if  to  pleafe  fome  of  our 
good  Brethren  it  mould  be  allow'd,  that  there  is  no 
fuch  Compact  between  thefe  Churches,  nor  any  Ccnfocia- 
Hon  of  them  -,  ftill  it  may  be  proved  with  ~E.iie/  th.t 
jucb  a  Procefs  of  Dijcipline,  as  lias  but  now  bin  ex- 
plained, Qu%ht  to  be  obferved  in  thefe  Churches, 

T  I 


(  n8  ) 

I  mall  not  here  cite  any  Authority  For  the  Proof  of 
this  •,  intending  in  an  Appendix  to  this  Book  to  reprint 
lbmething  referring  to  this  Matter  from  Dr.  Increase 
Mather's,  my  Grandfather's,  Vindication  of  the  Order 
of  the  Churches  in  New-England  ;  but  I  mail  briefly 
mention  a  Confederation  or  two,  which  will  be  fufficient 
to  eftablifh  this  Procefs  of  Difcipline  in  the  good  Opinion 
of  all  fuch  as  are  the  true  Friends  of  thefe  Churches. 

Fir  ft  of  all ;  This  Procefs  is  entirely  agreable  to  the 
"Nature  and  Defign  of  the  Gcfpel,  as  well  as  the  Reafon 
of  Mankind  :  For  what  is  it  for  one  Church  to  ad?ncnifh 
another  on  the  Account  of  lbmething  judg'd  to  be 
amifs  in  their  Society  ?  It  is  only  for  a  Neighbour 
Minifter,  or  Elder,  with  a  few  of  his  Chriftian  Brethren 
to  pay  a  Vifit  to  the  Neighbour  Church  and  humbly 
advife  and  exhort  them  to  feek  for  the  Reftoration  of 
Peace  and  to  retlify  their  Errors  whether  in  Judgment  or 
Atlion.  How  rational  and  how  Evangelical  is  this 
Method  ?  What  A  {Turning,  what  Domineering  is  there 
to  be  found  in  this  ?  Truely,  notwithftanding  the 
frightful  Drefs  in  which  this  Procefs  is  reprefented, 
there  is  nothing  more  Authoritative  in  it,  than  one  Bro- 
ther's admonifhing  another,  according  to  the  Rules  of 
the  Gofpel  as  well  as  of  right  Reafon. 

Again  ,  This  Method  is  well  calculated  for  preferv- 
ing  the  Reputation  and  Honour  of  particular  Churches : 
For,  as  particular  Chriftians,  fo  particular  Churches,  are 
but  Men  and  by  Confequence  are  liable  to  Errors :  But 
yet,  as  all  Chriftians  make  an  high  Profeffion  and 
therefore  mould  be  careful  left  there  mould  be  any 
flur  upon  it ;  even  fo  all  particular  Churches,  which 
are  corporate  Societies  making  a  fplendid  ProfefTion  of 
Chriftianity,  ought  carefully  to  maintain  their  Social  Ho- 
nour :  And  therefore,  as  with  particular  Chriftian  Bre- 
thren, fo  with  particular  Churches,  fallen  into  Errors 
and  Scandals,  it  would  be  wrong  and  injurious  to  take 
0  once  precipitate  and  open  Meafures :  Nor  indeed  would 
Wzpofing  their  Character  openly  at  firft  be  either  a  regular 

or 


C  139  ) 

er  a  probable  Method  of  effecting  their  Amendment  t 
Wherefore,  in  order  to  preferve  the  Reputation  and 
Honour  of  thefe  Churches,  it  is  vaftly  better,  I  mean 
more  rational  and  fcriptural,  in  the  firft  place,  to  follow 
this  private  Method,  to  which  by  our  Conftitution  alfo 
we  are  directed,  than  as  the  Manner  of  fome  is  to  bring 
the  Affairs  of  a  Church  before  a  Council  and  to  a  public 
Hearing  at  once. 

And,  in  fine,  If  this  Difciplinary  Method  be  not  care- 
fully obferved,  thefe  Churches  have  no  Remedy  at  all 
againft  Male-Adminiftratwis  in  particular  Churches : 
For  I  cannot  find,  that  by  the  Conftitution  of  thefe 
Churches  the  Power  of  calling  Councils  belongs  to  any 
particular  Perfons  in  them,  but  to  the  Churches  them- 
felves :  So  that,  according  to  this  Conftitution,  if  there 
be  Male- Adminift ration  in  any  particular  Church,  the 
Aggrieved  Members  of  it  may  not  convoke  fuch  Affem- 
blies :  But  they  mould  defire  the  Advice  and  Afliftance 
of  a  Neighbour  Church :  And,  unlefs  one  particular 
Church  inter pofe  in  this  State  of  Things  and  enquire 
into  the  Cafe  in  the  Way  of  Communion  by  Admonition^ 
particular  Churches  may  remain  at  eternal  Variance 
within  themfclves  without  fhewing  our  Diflike  of  their 
Proceedings :  For  there  is  no  other  Procefs  that  we 
know  of  in  the  pubiiuVd  Order  of  our  Churches,  by 
which  we  can  teftify  againft  them,  but  in  this  Difcipli- 
nary Method. 

But,  after  all,  fome  of  our  good  Brethren  will  con- 
tinue difpleafed  with  this  Procefs  of  Diicipline  from  a 
peaceable  Difpofition,  as  mould  feem  from  their  Difcourfe 
about  it :  For  they  fay,  that  they  cannot  by  any  means 
approve  of  this  Difciplinary  Method ;  becaufe  the  Profe- 
cution  of  it  will  occafion  great  Difturbance  and  Confufion 
in  Churches. 

But,  for  Anfwer  to  thefe  Perfons,  it  may  be  worth 

the  while  to  expoftulate  a  little  with  them :    Say  then, 

,Pear   Brethren,    why   do  you   think   that   this  Procefs 

fhould   occafion    more   'Trouble   and  Confufion   than  the 

T  2  Method 


(  iqp  ) 

Method 'of  calling  a  Council  by  a  few  particular  Perfons> 
or  ever,  bv  one  Per/on,  diflatisfied  or  aggrieved  ?  Or  is 
it,  becaufe  your  own  Adminift rations  have  bin  irregular 
or  w:ruitable,  that  you  are  therefore  difaffedted  to  this 
Procefs,  from  a  prevalent  Fear  of  Examination  accord- 
ing ro  it  ?  However,  is  not  this  Difciplinary" Method  fo 
plainly  prefcribed  in  the  Conftitution  of  particular  Con- 
gregational Churches  that  we  muft  be  Brownifts  or 
Nothing  if  we  recede  from  it  ?  And,  in  fine,  if  it 
fhould  be  fo,  as  you  fay,  that  Churches  will  be  difturbed 
in  the  Profecution  of  this  Method  \  yet  can  we  fuppofe, 
that  fome  Difturbance  of  the  Churches  in  a  Jleepy  and 
indolent  State  would  be  amifs  and  undefirable,  if  a 
more  eftabliJJfd  Order  and  a  more  comely  Amendment  may 
be  occafwrfd  thro'  this  Difturbance  in  the  Churches? 
Pray,  dear  Brethren,  aniwer  thefe  Queftions  in  the 
Spirit  of  Meeknefs,  as  they  are  propoled ;  that  fo,  if 
our  Fathers  erred  in  the  Prefcription  of  this  Method, 
the  Churches  may  regularly  ufe  their  Endeavours  to 
get  their  Error  rectified. 

Upon  the  whole,  and  from  the  beft  Obfervations 
which  I  have  bin  able  to  make ;  I  am  free  to  declare 
my  Apprehenfion,  and  I  hope  my  Brethren  will 
not  be  offended  with  me  for  making  this  Decla- 
ration, that  the  Neglecl  and  Slight  of  this  Rule 
of  Difcipline  by  the  Paftors  and  Churches  in  this  Go- 
vernment has  bin  the  true  Reafon,  if  not  the  fole  Caufe, 
cf  the  Bifturbances  and  Confufwns  in  many  of  our 
Churches,  and  that,  as  the  great  Voet  obferved  with 
refpecl  to  the  Want  of  Correfpondence  among  the  Chur- 
ches, I  fear  it  much :  Time  will  jhew  what  will  happen^ 
when  the  Number  of  Churches  is  greatly  encreafed,  and 
one  will  not  hear  another  (x).     Nay,  without  the  Spirit 

, . , 

(xj  NgL—  Wotcticui  certare,,  quamdiu  bene  fe  hahtnt  i  Non 
equniem  invtdco  ;  vtetuo  msgis ;  &  Dies  doccbit  quid  futurum 
fi  ,  ttH  m  iugentem  Xume>Um  exoevexmt  ft?  OUDEIS OUDENOS 
JK0U6H.     Voct,  Par,  III.  L  I.  Trad.  III.  Cap.  V. 


ef  Prophefy,  I  may  venture  to  fay,  that,  if  this  Method 
be  neglected,  thofe  Things  will  fall  and  perijh  fooner  than 
we  imagine^  which  we  thought  and  believed  to  be  firm 
and  lofting  (z).  And  I  cannot  therefore  but  wifh  to 
God,  that  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  might  fo 
influence  the  Minds  and  Hearts  of  thefe  Churches  as 
to  bring  them  to  an  entire  Approbation  of  true  Congre- 
gationalifm,  and  of  this  Difciplinary  Procefs  in  particular, 
by  which  alone  Congregational  Churches  can  be  diftin- 
guifhed  from  fuch  as  are  BrownijlicaL 


The 


(2)  Nifi  in  Eeelcfia  valeat  Mmonitio  &  in  quotldiano  ufu  fti 
Correftio,  Cuius  quam  jpfi  putemus  collabuntur  &  intereunt  ea 
quoque  quae  firmiflima  credebaiuur.  BuUjnger.  Decad  V,  Seim* 
X.  De  InQitutisEcclefiae, 


(  14*  ) 

THE  CONCLUSION,  in  a  brief 
Ac/Jrefs  to  the  Churches  of  NEW- 
ENGLAND. 

THUS  I  have  endeavoured  to  ftate  and  vindicate 
the  more  diftinguifhing  Liberties  of  the  Chur- 
ches in  New-England.  As  theje  Privileges  have  bin 
purchafed  by  the  Blood  of  the  LORD  JESUS,  they  ought 
to  be  very  precious  in  our  Efteem,  nor  upon  any  Pretence 
v/hatfoever  to  be  flighted  and  undervalued  by  the  happy 
People  who  enjoy  them. 

It  is  worthy  to  be  always  remembred  by  thefe  Chur- 
ches, that  it  was  not  on  the  Account  of  any  peculiar 
Sentiments  in  Doclrinal  Matters  that  our  wife  and  good 
Fathers  left  their  Native  Countrey  and  came  into  this 
then  howling  Wildernefs :  For  they  agreed  to  the  Doc- 
irinal  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England  as  much  as  the 
Conformifts  to  that  Parliamentary  Church,  and  indeed 
much  more  fo  than  moft  of  them :  But  it  was  from  a 
pure  RejfeM  to  Ecclefiaftical  Difcipline  and  Order  and  to 
a  more  refined  Worffiip,  that  thofe  excellent  Men  our 
Aheeftors  transported  themfelves,  with  their  Families, 
into  this  Land. 

The  Church  of  Rome,  as  far  as  in  them  lies,  have 
divejled  our  great  SAVIOUR  of  His  Prophetical,  Sacer- 
d  rl  and  Kingly  Offices :  Other  Churches  have  bin  fo  far 
overcome  by  the  Light  of  Reafon  and  Revelation,  that 
they  have  reftored  as  one  may  fay  His  Sacerdotal  Office 
to  Him  and  His  Prophetical  Office  alfo  :  But  our  graci- 
ous PredecefTors,  observing  that  their  Brethren  in  Eng- 
land, were  not  willing  to  allow  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  be- the  King  and  Ruler  of  His  Church,  nobly  refolv'd, 

as 


C  '43  ) 

as  the  Children  of  Zion,  to  acknowlege  and  rejoyce  in 
their  King :  And  hence  they  quitted  their  ungrateful 
Countrey,  that  fo  they  might  obferve  that  refined  fVoi- 
Jhip  and  Order  which  their  Lord  and  Sovereign  had 
in  His  Word  appointed  to  be  obferved. 

It  follows  therefore,  that  any  Degeneracies  from  the 
pure  Worjhip  and  Scriptural  Order  in  thefe  Churches 
would  be  a  direct  Rejection  of  the  Kingly  Authority  of 
CHRIST  JESUS,  and  a  Means  of  fetting  up  another 
King  or  Captain  to  lead  us  backward,  in  the  Steps  we 
have  taken  from  Babylon,  towards  it  a  Jain  :  May  God 
of  His  rich  Grace  therefore  preferve  thefe  Churches 
from  any  fuch  Degeneracies ! 

It  is  evident  indeed,  that  great  Pains  are  taken  to 
draw  our  People,  efpecially  our  inconfideratc  young 
People,  who  are  too  unmindful  of  the  King  and  God 
of  their  Fathers,  from  their  Love  and  Attachment  to  thefe 
firft  Principles  of  thefe  Churches,  which  I  have  bin  ex- 
plaining and  enforcing:  But,  as  N  a  both  laid  to 
Ahab  concerning  his  Vineyard,  in  i  King.  XXI.  3, 
The  LORD  forbid  it  me,  that  I  fhould  give  the  Inheri- 
tance of  my  Fathers  unto  Thee ;  even  fo  it  is  fit,  that 
we  fhould  fay  to  fuch  as  would  entice  us  to  part  with 
the  pure  Order  of  theie  Churches,  This  was  our  Fa- 
ther's Inheritance:  And  God  forbid,  that  any  mould 
perfuade  us  to  give  up  our  ineftimable  Rights :  For 
the  very  Thought  of  parting  with  them  is  mocking. 

Dear  People,  The  Liberties,  which  have  bin  chal- 
leng'd  for  you,  are  the  fame  as  the  Brethren  in  the 
Times  of  primitive  Chriftianity  enjoyed  for  hundreds  of 
Tears  together :  And,  whatever  fpecious  Pretences 
fome  may  make  to  the  contrary,  the  Difpoffefjing  of  the 
Brethren  of  thefe  their  valuable  Liberties  was  a  confide- 
rable  Inftance  of  the  Romifh  Apoftocy  :  And  indeed  they 
have  but  a  flender  Acquaintance  with  Ecclefiaftica1 
Hiftory  who  do  not  know,  that  the  Rife  of  Popery  ws 
owing  to  the  People's  tamely  giving  up  their  Rights  at 
Privilege^  either  thro'  Ignorance  or  Imprudence,,. 


(  M4  ) 

the  Clergy,  who  unreafonably  engrofs'd  to  themfelves 
and  grafp'd  in  their  own  Clutches  all  Things  in  the 
Churches  that  were  of  any  Worth  and  Importance. 

There  can  be  no  Doubt,  that  there  are  many  who 
are  [worn  and  inveterate  Enemies  to  the  'pure  Order  in 
thefe  Churches  ;  and,  befides  thefe,  we  have  Reafon  to 
think  that  there  are  many  falfe  Friends  to  it  •,  by  which 
Sort  I  mean  thofe  that  pretend  fome  Regard  to  the  Order 
cf  the  Go/pel  in  thefe  Churches,  but  yet  at  the  fame 
Time  would  gladly  fubvert  it :  And  it  is  well,  if  there 
are  not  fundry  Minijlers  in  thefe  Churches,  who  are 
difaffected  to  it:  For,  as  Luther  has  fomewhere  re- 
marked concerning  Religion,  Nunquam  magis  peridi- 
tur  quant  inter  Reverendiffimos  •,  fo  it  may  be  faid  with 
refpect  to  the  Order  in  thefe  Churches :  Probably  it  may 
he  in  mofi  Danger  from  fome  of  the  Reverend  Body. — 
But  furely  all  fuch  in  thefe  Churches  are  very  unad- 
vifed  and  blameworthy :  And,  if  they  are  not  duely 
fenfible  of  the  Tendency  of  their  Difaffeclion  and  Under- 
takings,  it  is  a  Pity  but  their  Brethren  fhould,  and 
carefully  guard  againft  them.  And  truely  there  cannot 
any  Good  be  expected  from  them :  For,  as  they  do 
not  produce  a  better  Difcipline  and  purer  Order  for  our 
Churches  in  the  Room  of  that,  which  they  unreafona- 
bly diflike  and  would  throw  away  •,  fo,  if  they  could 
produce  and  offer  a  better  Order,  which  indeed  is  very 
unlikely,  there  is  no  rational  Profpecl  of  its  gaining 
Ground  among  us,  but  with  that  Difturbance  and  Con- 
fufion  in  our  Churches,  of  which  they  at  other  Times  arc 
exceedingly  fearful.  But, 

Thefe  Enemies  to  our  Ecclefiaftical  Difcipline  and 
Order  feem  as  if  they  knew  not  what  they  would  have. 
The  Scheme,  which  they  would  promote,  is  very  far 
From  Prefbyterial :  For,  if  one  may  judge  by  their 
Conduct,  they  feem  to  be  fond  of  one  Minifter's  Ruling 
and  Governing  his  own  Church  without  the  Confent  of 
•the  Brethren  or  any  Elders  in  Conjunction  with  him : 
*Wh<?r~as  the  London  Minifters3  in  their  Vindication  of 

the 


(  MO 

the  Prtjbyterial  Government,  fay,  that  for  one  Minifler 
to  ajfume  fuch  Power  unto  him/elf  is  to  make  him/elf  a 
Congregational  Pope. —  Dear  Brethren,  let  not  thefe 
petty  Popes  then  deprive  you  of  your  juft  Rights  and 
invaluable  Privileges :  But,  like  your  worthy  Anceftors* 
continue  fond  of  them  :  For  it  will  be  creditable  and 
praife- worthy  not  to  let  them  go  :  And  it  will,  in  the 
Style  of  Pliny,  be  a  moft  honeft  'Thing  to  follow  the, 
Footfteps  of  our  Anceftors,  if  they  have  gone  before  us  in 
a  right  Path  {a). 

And,  when  you  obferve  any,  who  value  themfelves 
upon  their  Contempt  of  your  eftablijtfd  Order  and  who 
often  fpeak  (lightly  of  your  Platform .  of  Church-Difci- 
pline  which  is  the  Sum  of  it,  Dear  Brethren,  Set  a 
Mark  upon  thefe  Perfons  ;  remembring,  that  better  and 
wifer  Men  than  they,  even  thofe  worthy  and  famous 
Prefbyterians,  who  publiftVd  their  Jus  Divinwn  about 
Eighty  Years  fince,  freely  declare,  that  they  agree  with 
the  Things  of  the  greateft  Concernment  in  it,  and  that 
their  Debates  about  fome  Things  of  lejfer  Confequence  were 
not  [Contentiones]  warm  Difputes,  but  [Collationes] 
Friendly  Conferences. 

And,  in  fine,  Much  Honour'd  and  entirely  Beiov'd 
Churches  ;  be  pleafed  to  accept  of  this  Attempt  of  one, 
the  moft  unworthy  of  your  Sons  y  who,  being  fet  for 
the  Defence  of  the  Order  of  the  G  of  pel  among  you,  has 
mdeavoured  to  illuftrate  and  confirm  that  Order  in  its 
primitive  Purity  for  your  Advantage,  and,  from  his 
Faithfulneis  to  your  beft  Interefts,  has  dared  to  expoie 
himfelf  to  many  Mifreprefentations,  if  not  Reproaches 
and  Abufes :  And  wherein  he  has  fail'd  of  giving  the 
true  Senfe  of  his  and  your  Fathers,  tho'  from  a  diligent 
Search  of  their  Meaning  in  Manufcripts  and  printed 
Compofures  he  has  endeavoured  it,  be  pleafed  to  im- 

V  pttte 


(i)  Hvnffiijjimum   ifajarum  Vcftigza  Feqvi,  fi    refto   Itinve 


(  X40 

piH  it  to.  humane  Frailty  and  undefined  Miftaking 
For  into  thefe  alone  his  Failing  muft  be  refolved. 

Ut.  defint  Vires,  tamen    eft  laudanda   Voluntas  : 
Hac  Ego  [contentum]  auguror  ejfe  [Deum.] 
Ovid.-  de  Pont.  L.  III.  Eleg.  4. 

The  END  of  the  Apology, 


The 


(  '47  ) 


The    APPENDIX 

To  the  Apology  for  the  Churches 

in  New-England. 

Part  the  firft,  containing  fome  Evi- 
dences and  Specimens  of  the  Catholic 
and  Comprehenfive  Principles  of  the 
New-Englifh  Churches. 

IN  the  Thirty-fourth  Page  of  the  Preliminary  Dif- 
courfe  concerning  Congregational  Churches 
I  have  obferved,  that,  not  only  our  Moujes  and  Hearts, 
but  our  Churches  alfo,  are  open  to  Baptifts,  Prefbyteri- 
ans  and  Epifcopalians,  when  in  a  Judgment  of  Charity 
we  have  Reafon  to  think  them  of  good  Underftand- 
ing,  Piety  and  Vertue.  Now,  for  the  Proof  of  This, 
I  fhall  recite  fome  Particular,  and  then  fome  more  Ge- 
neral Teflimonies  to  the  Truth  of  it. 

Number  I. 

I  Have  a  Letter  in  my  Hands,  and  the  very  Origi- 
nal Letter,  of  the  learned  and  pious  and  facetious 
Mr.  Charles  Morton  of  Charles-Town  in  New- 
England-,  a  Letter  to  the  Right  Honourable  Hugh 
BoscAWEN:  Efqs  which,  as  it  gives  a  large  and  true 
V  2    "  Accoun: 


APPENDIX. 

Account  of  the  Countrcy  and  Churches  in  New-En- 
gland, I  had  jfome  Thoughts  of  Printing :  But,  finding 
that  it  will  take  up  more  Room  than  can  well  be 
ajlow'd,  I  fhall  therefore  only  fele6t  a  few  Paragraphs 
from  it.  And,  if  any  upon  the  Sight  of  Thefe  ihould 
want  to  fee  the  Remainder  of  the  Letter,  I  would  here 
acquaint  them,  that  I  have  it  in  my  Library  and  fhall 
he  ready  to  give  them  the  Sight  of  it.  The  Paragraphs 
are  as  follow : 

— — -  Give  me  Leave,  Sir,  to  acquaint  you,  that 
I  am  now  in  a  Countrey,  which  has  bin  a  friendly 
jtfylum  to  me  :  It  gave  me  a  kind  Reception,  when  my 
Native  Land  did  in  a  Manner  pufh  me  out.  —  It's  my 
humble  Petition  to  your  Honour,  that  you  would  be- 
come a  vigorous  Patron  for  the  People  of  Gov  in  thefe 
remote  Lands.  — God  has  a  great  People  here,  an  able 
and  pious  Miniftry,  and  a  great  many  well  ordered  Chur- 
ches. Their  Church  Government  is  interpendant,  as 
their  witty  Mr.  Ward  called  it.  —  I  have  bin  called 
to  fome  of  their  Councils  and  have  feen  their  good 
Effecl  in  healing  the  Breaches  of  difturbed  Churches. 
Their  Ordination  to  the  public  Miniftry  is  folemn  by 
the  Pallors  of  Neighbour  Churches :  And,  tho'  their 
Cuftom  has  bin  a  new  Impofition  of  Hands  upon  every 
new  Call  to  the  Exercife  of  the  Miniftry  ;  yet  to  us, 
who  came  from  Europe,  Mr.  Bay  ley  and  myfelf,  it 
was  abated.  And,  for  ought  I  can  perceive,  they  mind 
more  the  Subftance  of  Religion  than  the  Circumftances  of 
fome  Meits  private  Opinions  (x).  Their  public  V/orfoip 
in  Praying,  Singing  and  Preaching  is  plain,  but  grave 
and  folemn,  and,  I  hope,  fincere. —  The  Influence  of  a 
Religious  Profeflion  upon  common  and  outward  Con- 
verfatioh  is  very  great :  So  that  lewd  Profanenefs  did 
never  openly  appear,  till  a  wretched  Crew  of  Frigateers 
and  Red  Coats  came  among  us.  —  I  write  not  all  this,, 

as 


(x)  It  uas  principally  for  the  Sake  of  this  Paffage  in  Italic^ 
that  1  have  iranfciibed  fueh  a  Pai$  of  {his  Letter. 


A  PPNDIX  r4o 

as  if  Men  were  here  perfect :  For  then  there  were  no 
need  of  Magiftracy,  Miniftry  or  Gofpel  Ordinances  for 
their  Edification :  But  certainly,  Sir,  if  God  has  a  Peo- 
ple on  the  Face  of  the  Earth  and  any  Part  of  the 
World  may  be  called  Emanuel's  Land,  New-England 
may  well  put  in  for  a  notable  Share  in  that  Denomina- 
tion. —  If  your  Honour  will  afford  your  Afiiftance  to 
thefe  Gentlemen,  I  hope  you  will  never  have  Caufe  to 
repent  it.  God  has  heretofore  blefTed  the  Friends  of 
New- England  and  blafted  all  her  Adverfaries.  May 
the  God  of  Heaven  fo  eftablifh  your  Affairs,  as  may 
raife  the  Hopes  of  us  your  Dependants !  May  His 
Wifdom  guide  your  Counfels  and  His  Power  be  your 
Protection,  that  we  with  you  may  rejoyce  in  the  Lord. 
So  daily  prayeth  your  Honour's  moft  humble  and 
many  Ways  obliged  Servant, 

Feb.  3.  1689,-90.  Charles  Morton. 


Numb.  II. 

THe  next  Teftimony  mall  be  from  my  own  Father, 
who,  in  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Francis  De  La 
Pi llonni ere,  which  was  printed  in  The  Occafional 
Paper,  but  never  printed  and  generally  known  in  New- 
England,  writes  in  the  following  Manner. 

The  Truth  is,  the  Reformation  that  came  on, 

when  the  Romifh  Antichrifi  had  pafs'd  thro'  his  Time, 
and  his  Two  times,  and  was  entering  into  his  Half- 
Time[%  was  little  better  than  an  Half -Reformation. 

The  Reforming  Churches,  flying  from  Rome,  carried, 
fome  of  them  more,  fome  of  them  lefs,  all  of  them 
fomething,  of  Rome,  with  them ;  efpecially  in  that 
Spirit. of  Impofition,  and  Perfection,  which  has  too 
much  cleaved  unto  them  All. 

^  The  Period  haftens  for  a  New  Reformation ;  wherein 
'tis  likely  that  our  holy  Lord  will,  in  fome  Degree, 

reject 


i5o  A  V  P  E  N  D  I  X. 

reject  All  the  Parlies  oFChriftjans  at  this  Day  in  the 
World;  and  form  aNEw  People  of  the  good  Men 
in  the  feveral  Parties,  who  fhall  unite  in  the  Articles 
of  their  Goodnefs,  and  fweetly  bear  with  one  another 
in  their  letter  Differences ;  leaving  each  other  to  the 
Divine  Illuminations. 

Piety  will  anon  be  the  only  Bafts  of  Union,  in  the 
Churches  of  the  revived,  refined,  reformed  Reforma- 
tion *,  and  pious  Men,  in  feveral  Forms,  will  come  to 
Love,  and  live,  as  Brethren  ♦,  and  the  purged  Floor  of 
our  Saviour  will  be  vifited  with  Tokens  of  his  Prer . 
fence,  that  fhall  be  very  comfortable. 

It  is  thus  very  much  in  my  Country ;  and  therefore, 
Sir,  if  Old  England  prove  too  torrid  a  Climate  for  you, 
come  over  to  New-England,  where  I  will  do  my  belt, 
that  you  fhall  be  treated  with  more  Chriftian  Civilities. 

But  I  hope  that  ouk  Lord  will  find  greater  Employ- 
ments for  you  in  Europe,  than  can  be  expected  on  the 
Weftern  Side  of  the  Atlantick.  He  has  qualify 'd  you 
for  them,  and,  I  hope,  what  you  have  feen  among 
feme  very   Defe olive  Proteftants  will  animate  you  to 


them. 


Being  my  fclf  a  Calvinift,  I  muft  needs  differ  pretty 
much  from  a  Gentleman  who  profefTes  himfelf  an  Ar- 
)m'niaft'i  But  I  confider  what  thofe  Maxims  of  Piety 
are,  which  engage  the  Arminian  to  maintain  his  dif> 
tinguifhing  Pofitions.  Thofe  Maxims  are,  That  the 
Holy  and  Sin-hating  Lord  muft  not  be  reproach'd  as 
she  Impeller  of  the  Sin,  whereof  he  is  the  Revenger : 
Thai  our  Merciful  Father  muft  not  be  blafphemed,  as 
if  He  dealt  after  an  illufbry  manner  with  Men,  when 
He  invites  them  to  His  Mercy :  That  none,  among 
the  Fallen  Race  of  the  Eirft  Adam,  are  to  be  fhut  out 
from  the  Hopes  of  Life,  in  the  Death  of  the  Second 
Adam  :  Th&l  impenitent  Unbelievers  muft  not  caft  on 
(  .-.  1  the  Blame  of  their  Unbelief;  but  the  Wicked 
fftdft  lay  wholly  on  themfelves  the  Fault  of  their  own 
Dcfiruciion.    And,   That  Men  muft  work  out  their 

own 


APPENDIX.  ISl 

own  Salvation  with  as  much  Induftry,  and  Agony,  and 
Vigilancy,  as  if  all  turned  upon  their  own  Will  and 
Care,  whether  they  mail  be  faved,  or  no.  Now,  thefe 
are  Maxims,  which  every  pious  Calvinift  will  alfo  moll 
heartily  confent  unto.  And,  if  I  fliould  repeat  the 
Maxims  of  Piety,  which  make  me  fall  in  with  the  Por- 
tions of  a  Calvinift,  as  requifite  unto  the  fupporting  of 
them.  I  am  confident  the  pious  Mr.  de  la  Pillonniere 
would  moft  heartily  fubfcribe  unto  them.  And  we 
fhall  both  of  us  have  the  Modefty  to  confefs,  that  we 
have  alfo  to  do  with  Matters  which  are  to  us  incom- 
prehenfible.  Now,  if  good  Men  are  fo  united  in  the 
Maxims,  which  are  the  End,  for  the  ferving  whereof 
they  declare  that  they  purfue  their  Controverfies  •,  why 
fhould  not  this  Uniting  Piety  put  an  End  unto  their 
Controverfies  ?  and  beat  their  Swords  into  Plough-Shares, 
and  their  Spears  into  Pruning- Hooks  ? 


Numb.  III. 

BUT,  to  thefe  more  particular  Teftimonies  concern- 
ing the  Catholic  and  comprehenfive  Principles  of 
thefe  Churches  from  a  fuperior  Regard  to  the  Subftance 
of  Religion,  I  would  take  Leave  to  fubjoin  and  mention 
fome  more  General  ones. 

The  famous  Dury,  whofe  Heart  was  very  much 
fet  upon  a  Pacification  among  Proteftants,  having  made 
his  propofed  Tour  in  Europe  for  promoting  it,  at 
length  wrote  a  Letter  to  his  Brethren  in  New- England 
to  know  their  Sentiments  concerning  fuch  a  Pacifica- 
tion ;  which  Letter  occafioned  the  following  noble 
Anfwer  to  it,  that  was  written  by  the  great  Mr. 
Nor  ton,  Pallor  of  the  firft  Church  in  Bofton,  New-En- 
gland, at  the  Defire  of  all  the  Minifters  of  this  [then] 
Colony,  and  afterwards  figned  by  them  all.  I  have 
here  reprinted  the  Englilh  Tranflatign  of  this  Letter, 


if*  APPENDIX. 

that  fo  it  might  be  of  more  general  Advantage :  But, 
for  the  fake  of  the  Learned,  I  have  inferted  in  the 
Margin  feveral  of  the  Emphatical  PafTages  in  it  from 
the  Original  Latin,  which,  I  think,  was  never  pub- 
lifh'd.  N.  B.  If  any  Perfon  has  a  Mind  to  fee  the 
Original  Latin  Letter,  with  the  Names  of  the  Minifters 
iubfcribing  it  in  their  own  Hand- Writing,  and  will  be 
fo  good  as  to  repair  to  me  for  the  Sight  of  it,  I  fhall 
readily  gratify  them  with  it. 

The  Letter  retum'd  by  the  Minifters  of  New-En- 
gland to  Mr.  John  Dury  concerning  his  Pacification,, 

To  the  worthy  and  eminent  Mr.  John  Dury0 

Salutations* 

THAT  amongft  fo  many  horrid  Alarms  of  War, 
amongft  fo  many  fatal  Differences  of  Opinion 
raifed  in  Matters  of  Religion,  and  that  alfo  after  fo 
many,  and  fuch  unwearied  Labours  of  famous  Inter- 
ceffors,  now  fo  often  in  this  Caufe  undertaken  in  vain  ; 
you  mould  O  Dury,  the  moil  zealous  Friend  of  Peace, 
not  only  be  ferioufly  thinking  of,  but  are  alfo  unto  this 
Day  ftrongly  endeavouring  the  Efpoufals  of  Truth  and 
Peace  between  the  Profeffors  of  the  Gofpel  •,  we  verily 
do  largely  congratulate  you  in  the  conceiving  fo  great 
a  Defign,  with  our  utmoft,  and  daily  Prayers,  helping 
forward  (by  God's  AfiiftanceJ  the  Birth  of  this  Man- 
child.  Suffer  us  to  fpeak  the  very  Truth  of  the  Mat- 
ter, nor  is  there  any  need  to  deny  the  fame  :  Even  as 
the  Holy  Scripture  relates  how  the  Olive  Branch, 
brought  much  Comfort  to  the  Parent  of  the  other 
World  after  the  Flood,  while  he  was  lamenting  over 
the  Tremendous  Spectacle  of  the  Deluge  overflowing 
all  here  below;  in  like  Manner  did  your  Letter, 
breathing  a  very  Spirit  of  Peace,  as  another  Noab's 
Dove,  fent  down  from  Heaven,  wonderfully  refrefn  the 
exile  Brethren,  who  were  almoit  aftonifhed  p  fee  fo 

many 


A  P  P  E  N  D  I  X  tsi 

many  Nations,  that  profefs  the  Gofpel,  making  irrecon* 
cileable  War  amongft  themfelves,  together  with  the 
many  and  great  DifTentions  in  the  Bufinefs  of  Religion, 
and  that  monftrous  FloocTof  Error  breaking  forth,  not 
out  of  the  Cataracts  of  the  Clouds,  but  the  very  Month 
of  the  Dragon. 

Be  it  fo,  that  we  are  in  the  utmoft  Parts  of  the  Earth  ; 
we  have  only  changed  our  Climate,  not  our  Minds: 
We  have  altered  our  Place,  that  we  might  retain  the 
Faith  without  alteration.  There  are  indeed  fome,  that 
might  have  been  better  employed,  at  leaft  meer  Strangers 
to  our  Affairs,  who  do  therefore  impute  unto  us  the  Guilt 
of  Schifm,  becaufe  in  the  firft  Place  we  have  endea- 
voured after  the  pure  Worfhip  of  God.  But  if  any  fee 
good  to  enquire  into  the  Reafon,  why  thefe  Churches  in 
the  Wildernefs  left  their  Country,  this  it  was,  viz.  That 
the  Ancient  Faith,  and  pure  Worfhip,  might  be  found 
infeparable  Companions  in  our  Practice,  and  that  our 
Pofterity  might  be  undefiled  in  Religion :  Neverthelefs, 
we  are  never  unmindful  of  the  Saying  of  Auftin  to  the 
Brethren  in  the  Wildernefs,  as  he  ftyles  them ;  There 
are  two  Things  confideroMe,  faith  he,  Conference  and  good 
Na?ne :  Conference  as  neceffary  for  thy  felf  good  Name 
for  thy  Neighbour :  He  who  trufts  to  his  Confcience^ 
and  neglects  his  good  Name,  is  cruel,  efpecially  if  he 
be  fet  in  that  Place,  of  which  the  Apoftle  writing  to  his 
Difciple,  faith,  /;;  all  Things  f  hew  thy  felf  an  Example  of 
good  Works.  It  may  not  be  unlawful  for  us,  who  are  in 
the  Wildernefs  on  the  further  fide  of  the  Seas,  as  well  as 
thofe,  who  through  Grace  are  called  to  the  Miniftry, 
though  in  our  felves  the  greateft  of  Sinners,  and  the 
leaft  of  all  the  Saints,  as  any  others,  to  Apologize  for 
our  felves  in  the  Words  of  the  Tribes  beyond  Jordan 
a  little  changed,  for  the  vindicating  or  preferving  our 
good  Name  in  a  Matter  of  lb  great  Moment,  both  be- 
fore great  ones,  Fathers,  Brethren,  and  every  gentle 
Reader,  The  Lord  God  of  Gcds^  the  Lord  God  of  Gods 
is  knazys*  and.  Ifrael  fiall  bw-zv,  if  wittingly  and  willing- 

X  ly 


1^4  APPENDIX. 

ly  in  Rebellion,  or  treacherous  dealing  againft  the  Lord> 
or  in  Schifm  it  be,  that  we  have  departed  from  our  Coun- 
try, fave  us  not  this  Day. 

But  yet  notwithstanding,  we  are  not  unmindful  of 
that  fo  known  Oracle,   [Love  the  "Truth  and  Peace :] 
We  neither  flrive  for  Truth  without  making  Reckon- 
ing of  Peace,  neither  do  we  purfue  Peace  with  the  Lois 
of  Truth :  The  former  defaceth,  this  latter  teareth  the 
feamlefs  Coat  of  the   Church.      It  is  as  necefTary    to 
avoid  the  Rock  of  Schifm  on  the  Right  Hand,  as  the 
Quickfands  of  Confufion  on  the  Left.     We  renounce 
Samaritanifn,  that  deadly   fink  of  falfe  Doctrine,    as 
much  as  we  fly  from  Donatifm,   the   fore  Enemy  of 
Evangelical  Temperament,  and  Devourer  (if  we  may 
fpeak  after  Tertullian)  of  Chriftian  Society  ;  but  admire 
and   embrace  the   Concord,    and    Agreement   of  the 
Gofpel.     We  are  no  whit  pleafed  with  Caffanders  mak- 
ing Hands  with  Papifts  at  the  furtheft  Diftance,  erring 
from  the  Truth  •,  nor  yet  with  the  Romanift  renouncing 
Communion  with  them  that  are  otherwife  minded  in 
leffer  Differences :  But  in  ipecial  Manner  we  ought  to 
labour,  that  we  may  walk  with  an  even  Foot,  and  not 
to  turn  afide  an  Hair's  breadth  from  the  Truth :  In  the 
mean  Time,  it  is  better  to  be  a  Cyprian  than  a  Steven. 
It  is  much  more  grievous  to  think  aright,  and  be  found 
a  Schifmatick,  than  to  think  amifs  in  Things  not  funda- 
mental, and  be  ot  a  peaceable  Spirit.     The  Spirit  of 
our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  is  a  Spirit  of  Truth,  of  Peace 
and  Communion  :  So  defirous  of  Peace,  that  it  requi- 
reth  Communion  in  a  true  Church,  although  not  pure ; 
and  fo  defirous  of  Truth,  that  it  forbids  impurity  in  any 
Church  whatfoever.     That,  that  is  the  Mark  at  which 
we  aim,  and  which  we  endeavour  and  breath  after,  in 
him  who  is  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  Life. 

It  is  confeffed,  there  are  fome  Apices,  or  lefTer  Points 
in  Divinity,  which  the  Church  of  God  hath  now  for 
above  an  hundred  Years  bewailed,  as  the  obftacles  of 
Peace,  concerning  which  the  chief  Controverfies  main- 
tained 


APPENDIX.  iSS 

tained  are  about  Predeflination,  Ubiquity,  and  the  En- 
charift.  About  thefe  Points  how  many  thoufand  Pole* 
mick  Writings  have  been  extant  all  abroad,  which  the 
Chriftian  World  is  fcarce  able  to  contain  ?  Alas !  that 
ever  there  mould  be  a  War  about  the  Sacrament !  Alas ! 
that  ever  there  fhould  be  any  contentious  Treatifes 
about  the  Eucharift,  turning  the  very  Badge  of  Union 
into  an  Apple  of  Contention !  Who  can  refrain  from 
Tears  at  the  uttering  of  fuch  ,  Things  ?  Yet  thefe  not- 
withstanding, that  there  is  Place  for  the  fo  much  defired 
Coalition  between  the  Evangelicks  and  the  Reformed, 
fo  called,  may  eafily  be  made  appear,  by  running  thro8 
the  chief  Heads  of  Things : 

As  namely,  Becaufe  in  the  flrft  Article,  they  who 
were  the  greateft  Favourers  of  that  eminent  Worthy  of 
the  former  Age,  do  yet  afcribe  the  Work  of  Converfion 
wholly  unto  God,  and  do  likewife  ftifty  maintain,  and 
accurately  defend,  Grace  to  be  altogether  free  \  who 
were  alfo  utter  Enemies  to  that  peftilent  Opinion  of  the 
Schoolmen,  [That  God  is  hound  to  him  that  doth  what  he 
can  of  himfelf.']  And  who  likewife  do  defervedly  ac- 
count it  meer  Pelagian ifm,  to  make  any  kind  of  Quali- 
fying Fitnefs  a  Moral  Motive  unto  predetermining 
Grace. 

As  for  the  Opinion  of  the  Ubiquity  of  the  Humane 
Nature,  by  Virtue  of  the  Hypoflatical  Union  \  it  can- 
not be  denied,  but  that  Papers  have  come  abroad, 
written  with  too  much  Gall  and  fharpnefs.  In  the 
mean  while  it  is  agreed  upon  by  all,  and  taken  for 
granted,  That  the  Humane  Nature  is  Perfonally  Om- 
niprefent.  According  to  this  Rule  likewife  are  other 
Proportions  about  the  Perfon  to  be  judged  of,  under 
this  Head. 

Laftly,  As  concerning  the  Lord's  Supper  •,  the  Du 
vines  of  either  Part,  do  reject  Tranfubftantiation,   to- 

§  ether  with  worfhipping  of  Bread.  But  about  the  Real 
,  defence,  viz.  Sacramental,  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Chrift,  it  is  agreed  between  both,     Thefe  fo  many  and 

X  Z  great; 


iff  A  P  P  ENDIX. 

great  BnTerences,  are  to  be  accounted  as  fo  many  Heart- 
griefs,  altho'  not  to  be  numbred  amongft  them  which 
by  the  Apqiile  are  called  Unlearned  Queftions ;  yet  we 
judge  them  not  to  be  or  that  Moment,  as  to  hinder  the 
giving  each  other  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowfhip,  or 
the  Pledges  of  Ecclefiaftical  Brotherhood  (a)y  building 
upon  that  Apoftoiical  Canon  of  holy  Communion,  Ne- 
verthelefs,  in  that  thereunto  we  have  attained,  let  us  walk 
~by  the  fame  Ride^  let  us  mind  the  jame  tfhing,  Phil.  3.  16. 
Here  alio  we  may  call  to  Mind  that  common  and 
received  Ditlinclion  between  Fundamentals  and  Non- 
Fundamentals  •,  and,  that  Brotherly  Fellowfhip  is  not 
to  be  refufed  with  Men  peaceable,  and  otherwife  Or- 
thodox, for  the  fake  of  Non-Fundamentals. 

.We  account  it  very  unequal  to  fatten  upon  any  one 
that  holds  an  Opinion  all  the  Gonfectaries,  which  to 
him  that  argues  according  to  the  exa&eft  Grounds  of 
Reafon5  feem  to  follow  upon  fuch  Premifes,  efpecially 
if  thole  Confequences  be  difowned  by  him  :  In  which 
refpect  there  are  no  fmall  Errors  on  both  Sides,  while 
tliofe  oi  our  Side  impeach  the  other  of  Eutyches  his 
Opinion^  tho'  refuting  to  own  it,  for  the  fake  of  Con- 
fubftantiation  \  and  they  on  the  other  Side  go  about  to 
make  ours  guilty  of  making  God  the  Author  of  Sin, 
altho'  we  never  fo  much  difclaim  it,  in  the  Point  of 
Predeifinanon.  The  Difputes  about  the  Confequences 
of  thefe,  whether  rightly  inferred  or  not,  from  the  Pre- 
mifes, belong  not  to  this  Place  to  be  examined,  yea 
the  Matter  itfelf  requires  rather  that  we  fhould  for- 
bear, 

But  this  Tragedy  is  not  yet  at  an  End.  For,  as  to 
Polity,  and  indifferent  Things,  they  have  taken  up 
divers  Opinions ;  who  it  were  to  be  wifhed  that  they 
\vpuld  embrace  that  Concord  one  with  another,,  which 

hath 

(3)  Tot  &  talia  Dijjidia  tot  fatemur  Cordelia  ;—Tanti  autent 
eje_t  quo  mnuis  dextsai  datetur  jungere  Dextris,  &  mutua  niidnc 
fij3  reddits  fraiernitatit  EccUfnJlicz  Symbola,  nuaime  judicamm* 


A'PP  EN  D  I  X.  i57 

hath  been  fo  often  endeavoured  after.  Bift  the  Differ- 
ences of  this  Nature,  as  they  are  not  fo  fmall,  that  the 
Lovers  of  Truth  fhould  be  fileftt  about  them  -,  fo  nei- 
ther are  they  fo  great,  that  they  need  be  any  hindrance 
to. the  Seekers  of  Peace  and  Quietnefs  in  the  prefent 
Undertaking  -,  as  may  appear  by  the  unquetlioned  Ex- 
ample of  our  Saviour,  who  refufed  not  to  celebrate  the 
Worfhip  of  God  in  the  Jewifh  Church,  defaced  at  that 
Time  with  more  grievous  Corruptions.  They  who  are 
united  to  Chrift  by  Heart-converting  Grace,  are  Mem- 
bers of  his  Myftical  Body  ;  and  whofoever,  but  in 
appearance  at  leait,  are  joyned  to  the  Head,  and  have 
added  themfelves  to  the  Polity  of  Ifrael,  are  to  be  re- 
ceived Members  of  the  Political  Body.  Now  Com- 
munion follows  upon  Union.  Befides  the  Nature  of 
Political,  as  well  as  Chriftiah  Society,  doth  utterly  for- 
bid to  deny  the  Privileges  of  Fellowihip  to  fuch  Mem- 
bers as  are  found  without  Scandal, 

Thus  much  we  thought  good  to  fpeak  briefly  about 
this  Point,  that  Honoured  Perfons,  and  Refpecled 
Brethren,  might  underftand  what  Realbns  moved  us  to 
entertain  the  fame  Opinion  with  themfelves.  We  have 
been  taught,  that  the  Idea,  or  Pattern  of  holy  Co?n?nunion 
ought  to  be  fetched  from  Divine  JVrit>  and  not  to  he  framed, 
after  our  own  Pleafure  (b). 

The  Rules  of  Sacred  Society  are  certain ;  beyond 
which,  or  fhort  of  which,  it  is  not  in  our  Power  to 
extend,  or  withold  the  Right  Hand  of  Brotherhood. 
Whoever  having  attained  thefe  mall  acknowledge  them  ; 
and  having  acknowledged  them,  fhall  walk:  according 
unto  them ;  fo  holding  Communion  with  Sinners,  as 
he  doth  not  in  the  leafc  communicate  with  their  Sins, 
fo  as  he  is  wanting  neither  to  the  Truth,  nor  to  him- 
felf,  nor  his  Brethren,  him  we  defervedly  efteem  both 
as  a  Guide  and  Pillar  of  the  Church :  Whether  we  will 

or 


(b)  Commuvionis  &an8&  ldeam  a  Divjna  Pagina  $ct6Jidamtnon 
po  4)b\tnQ  nofiio  cudendm  didicimuu 


y5S  APPENDIX. 

or  no,  we  are  Brethren  •,  and  feeing  we  are  Brethren, 
lzt  us  acknowledge  our  felves  what  we  are,  namely, 
Brethren  in  the  Lord.  A  Day  would  fcarce  fuffice,  to 
rehearfe  how  many  and  how  great  incitements  do  call 
for,  and  require  this.  To  account  the  weak  in  Faith  for 
none,  is  indeed  itielf  a  greater  Weaknefs.  The  Name 
of  Brethren  is  fweet :  It  is  Matter  of  great  Delight  to 
b^  fuch  indeed.  But  it  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that 
thofe  who  are  fo,  mould  not  be  acknowledged  to  be  fo. 
So  to  ft  and  for  Truth,  that  by  too  tenacious  infifting  upon 
Dotlrinc,  we  make  no  reckoning  of  the  Rights  of  Society, 
is  to  be  carried  with  the  Study  of  Parties^  not  of  the 
Truth  (c)  •,  and  to  undertake  the  Patronage  of  an  Opi- 
nion, rather  becaufe  it  is  our  own,  than  becaufe  it  is 
true. 

Sounder  Philofophy  determines,  that  the  excellency 
of  Union  is  to  be  efteemed  according  to  the  Dignity  of 
the  Caufe.  We  here  pafs  over  in  Silence  the  confpiring 
together  of  the  Waters  and  dry  Land  to  make  one 
Globe  ;  as  alfo  that  of  the  Frame  of  the  Heavenly  and 
the  Earthly  Globe,  to  make  one  Sphere  of  the  World, 
There  may  be  found  an  heap  of  Miracles  in  the  quiet 
gathering  the  living  Creatures  into  the  Ark,  and  there 
abiding  in  it,  where  the  mod  favage  of  them  laid  afide 
their  favagenefs  •,  being  ready  to  acknowledge  Noah 
for  their  Lord  (not  much  other  wife  than  Adam  in  giv- 
ing Names  unto  them)  where  might  be  feen  the  Wolf 
{landing  amongft  the  Sheep,  neither  do  the  Flocks  feem 
afraid  of  the  great  Lyons:  Thefe  are  indeed  very 
great  Things  •>  but  yet  if  they  be  compared  with  the 
Myftical  Union,  mining  forth  in  one  of  the  very  lead 
of  Chrifl's  Members,  there  would  want  W^ords  to  ex- 
prels  how  great  the  Diftance  is.  To  proceed  there- 
fore, if  the   Union  of  a  very  few  Believers  be  of  ip 

great 


(c)  Feritctevi  item  Operant  dare^  ut  Dofirina  tcr.dcius  *»£*- 
rendo  Societatti  Jura  [ufqie  degus  facijmut,  efi  Partes  agev'9 
yfaTyetitati  ftudetf* 


APPENDIX  jS9 

great  Moment,  of  how  great  Account  fhould  be  the* 
Uniting  of  all  Proteflants  in  the  Faith  ?  But  let  us  here 
paufe  a  while,  and  not  think  much  to  weigh  this  Mat- 
ter a  little  more  ferioufly,  and  we  mail  find  (unlefs  we 
are  much  deceived,)  this  very  Union  about  which  we 
are  treating,  if  it  be  without  Hypocrify  and  Deceit, 
but  as  the  very  OfT-fpring  and  Image  of  the  Hypofta- 
tical  Union,  and  only  next  unto  it  on  Earth  (as  to  the 
Kind)  and  like  unto  which  there  will  not  be  found  any 
in  Heaven,  no  not  when  Angelical  Nature  remained  in 
its  Perfection.  We  do  believe  indeed,  and  not  out  of 
a  vain  Conceit,  That  this  Agreement  is  a  bright  Look- 
ing-Glafs  made  of  the  Blood  of  the  Lamb,  wherein 
Jefus  himfelf,  the  Prince  of  fo  great  a  Peace,  clearly 
fhines  forth :  In  pafling  through  which  alfo,  he  doth 
irradiate  the  World  with  its  brightnefs,  while  it  fted- 
faftly  beholds  this  clear  Looking- Glafs,  and  by  irradi- 
ating, ingenerates  Faith  therein.  In  which  refpeel;  we 
need  not  fear  to  affirm,  That  the  perpetual  Conjunction 
of  all  Mankind,  eftablifhed  by  the  Bond  of  the  fir  ft 
Covenant,  would  be  by  infinite  Degrees  exceeded  by 
it ;  That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou  Father  in  me,  and 
I  in  thee,  that  the  World  may  know  that  thou  haft  fent 
me,  Joh.   17.  21. 

If  the  poffibility  of  fuch  a  Peace  fhould  appear,  we 
could  not  do  much  in  the  purfuing  the  Neceflity  there- 
of. Notwithflanding  (if  we  may  have  Leave)  that 
this  Neceflity  may  be  faflned  in  our  Minds,  as  they 
fay,  with  the  ftrongeft  Nail,  before  we  leave  this  ex- 
hortatory  Part  of  our  Difcourfe,  we  think  meet,  for  a 
Conclufion,  to  adorn  and  ftrengthen  it  with  the  Sayings 
of  fome  famous  Men,  tending  much  unto  Peace, 

At  Marpurg,  Luther  long  fince  profeffed,  Thai  he 
would  not  yield  this  Praife  to  the  Adverfe  Party,  that 
they  Jhould  be  more  ftudious  of  Concord  and  Peace  than 
himfelf.  From  whence  arofe  that  famous  Concord  of 
Marpurg.  We  find  alfo  Calvin  thus  expr effing  him- 
felf, that  he  might  compofe  Minds,  and  allay  fo  great 

Com- 


i6o  APPENDIX. 

Commotions,  at  a  Time  when  Contention  was  grown 
much  too  hot ;  But  I  defire  you  to  confider,  firft,  How 
great  a  Man  Luther  is9  and  in  what  great  Gifts  he  doth 
excel,  and  with  how  great  rourage  and  Conftancy  of 
Mind,  with  hew  great  Dexterity,  with  how  great  Efficacy 
of  Learning,  he  hath  hitherto  endeavoured  to  put  to  Flight 
the  Kingdom  of  Antichrifi,  and  propagate  the  Dotlrine  of 
Salvation.  I  have  been  often  wont  to  fay,  That  if  he 
fhould  call  ?nc  Devil  a  thoufand  Times,  that  I  would  yet 
give  him  that  Honour,  as  to  acknowledge  him  the  eminent 
Servant  of  God.  But  our  Davenant  moft  fevereft  of 
all  •,  If  the  Schifms  of  Churches  7night  be  taken  away,  as 
without  Dsubt  they  may,  I  would  rather  have  a  Mill- 
Stone  hanged  about  my  Neck,  and  be  cafl  into  the  Sea,  than 
either  hinder  a  Work  fo  acceptable  unto  God,  and  fo  ne- 
ceffary  to  avoid  Scandals,  or  not  promote  it  with  my  whole 
Heart,  and  all  my  utmoft  Endeavours. 

Epiphanius  would  not  that  Chriftians  mould  have 
any  By-Name.  Let  the  Nick-Name  of  Zuinglians  and 
Calvinifts  then  ceafe,  the  Marks  rather  of  Fatlion,  than 
of  Brotherly  Union.  What  fhould  we  have  to  do  with 
Luther?  What  fhould  we  have  to  do  with  Calvin?  Wc 
profefs  the  Gofpel,  we  believe  the  G  of  pel  (d).  Bellarmine 
fomewhere  hath  a  Catalogue  of  a  great  many  King- 
doms that  fell  oft'  from  the  Papacy  :  Whofe  Defection 
from  the  Myflery  of  Iniquity,  if  it  hath  troubled  the 
Cardinals  of  Rome,  how  much  more  would  their  Unit- 
ing together  in  the  Myflery  of  Piety,  be  a  Terror  to 
the  Roman  Party  ?  When  the  truly  holy  League  fhall 
wholly  Hand  for  the  Lamb  •,  when  Humane  Endea- 
vours and  DiiTenfions  being  laid  afide,  they  fhal]  only 
intend  that  one  Thing,  to  afford  their  mutual  Help 
for    the    promoting   of  Religion  \    when    they    fhall 

una- 


(d)  Noluit  Epiphanius,  ut  Cljrifiiam gejlarent  EpUhtton  No- 
run.  Faeeffant  Zuinglianorum  gr*  Calvinianorum,  Cognontenta 
Fifaoviii  potius  quam  f rater n%  Unionis  infigr.ia.  Quid  nobis 
cum  Lutbero  ?  J^ud  nobu  cum  Calvino  I  Evwgeiicifumui  : 
Credimus  Evangelic, 


APPENDIX  i6t 

unanimoufly  carry  on  the  War  of  the  Lord  againft  the 
Whore,  as  if  they  were  indued  with  the  very  Spirit  of 
the  Revelation ;  when  they  mall  be  called  neither  Eri- 
glifh,  nor  Butch,  nor  Swedes,  nor  Banes,  but  only 
Chriftians. 

If  Poets  Writings  any  Truth  contain, 
Ages  fierce  Wars  fhall  never  more  maintain. 
But  it  is  not  in  our  Power5  moil  excellent  Bury,  to 
add  our  Counfel,  either  to  the  beginning  or  the  prefer- 
ving  this  Agreement.  You  are  not  ignorant,  that  we 
are  Exiles,  Britains,  altogether  divided  from  the  reft  of 
Europe-,  wherefore  we  are  lefs  fit  to  perform  this 
Tafk :  Neither  are  we  fo  unfenfible  of  our  own  Weak- 
nefs,  as  not  readily  to  confefs  our  inability  for  fo  great  a 
Service  •,  nor  is  there  need,  feeing  we  muft  thankfully 
acknowledge  and  own,  that  this  Office  hath  been  abum 
dantly  performed,  both  by  Strangers,  as  well  as  by  our 
own  Countrymen. 

We  may  here  call  to  Mind,  and  not  without  fome 
focred  Sympathy,  thofe  BlefTed  Souls,  Melanclhon  and 
Parens,  now  amongft  the  BlefTed ;  the  one  no  lefs  fa- 
mous amongft  the  Reformed,  than  the  other  amongft 
the  Evangelicks ;  The  firft  of  whom  going  towards 
Haganoa,  with  fighing  utter'd  thefe  Words, 
In  Synods  hitherto  we  lived  have, 
And  now  in  them  return  unto  the  Grave  (e). 
The  other  ferioufly  meditating  on  the  Controverfy  of 
the  Eucharift,  brake  forth  into  thefe  Words  ;  /  am 
weary  with  disputing.  Thus,  if  thefe  Men  might  be 
judges,  we  ought  rather  to  Pray  than  Difpute,  and 
irudy  how  to  Live  than  to  Contend.  And  perhaps  ths 
Divines  of  either  Part,  after  they  have  been  wearied, 
and  broken  in  their  Spirits  with  daily  and  continual 
Contentions,  will  more  readily  accept  of  the  Counfels 
of  Peace,  which  hitherto  have  been  lefs  acceptable, 
*Z$uIe  the  Senfe  of  Anger  remained  freih  :    Alter  by 

Y  long 


(fe)  Viximus  in  SynQdity  &  jam  mnrjemur  in  iUu. 


i6t  APPENDIX. 

long  Ufe  they  have  been  taught,  they  may  prefer  thfl 
Waters  of  the  Pacifick  Sea  before  thofe  of  Meribah. 
Nor  need  we  fay,  That  thofe  Honoured  Perfons,  and 
Brethren,  will  more  kindly  entertain  the  Gounfels  of 
Peace,  feeing  there  are,  we  know  not  how  many  Say- 
ings, Writings,  Deeds  of  Princes,  Churches  and  Uni- 
verfities,  openly  teftifying,  That  eminent  Men  of  both 
Orders,  and  that  not  of  the  loweft  Rank,  have  not  only 
received,  but  taken  Counfel  together,  and  engaged 
their  helping  Hand,  as  Need  mall  require:  From 
which  Beginnings  it  is  but  meet  to  hope  the  beft.  God 
is  able  to  make  them  Workers  of  Peace,  whom  he  hath 
given  to  be  Seekers  of  Peace :  If  otherwife,  fuch  emi- 
nent Endeavours  mall  not  want  their  Reward  in  Hea- 
ven, and  their  Honour  in  Ifrael.  Thefe  are  pioufly 
Heroick  Enterprifes,  which  as  they  do  oblige  all  good 
Men,  lb  are  they  to  be  admired  of  them.  Their 
Praifes,  how  great,  or  how  little  foever,  as  the  prefent 
Age  is  not  altogether  filent  about  them  -,  fo  will  Pofte- 
rity  declare  the  reft,  and  perhaps  the  unknown  Parts  of 
the  World. 

We  give  Thanks  unto  the  Father  of  Lights  with  ail 
our  Hearts,  who  hath  put  this  Work  into  the  Mind  of 
purji  favouring  of  a  Spirit  more  than  Humane  j  and 
hath  added  alio  fuitable  Courage  to  the  promoting  fo 
Pious  and  Apoflolical  a  Matter  ;  Which  Talk,  whofo- 
ever  fhall  effect,  if  we  may  be  judges,  will  deferve 
a  more  than  ordinary  Triumphant  Statue  j  and  whofe 
Monument  will  fo  far  excel  the  Trophies  of  Achilles,  as 
if  they  were  not  worthy  to  be  mentioned  in  the  fame 
Day.  However  the  IfTue  of  the  Matter  fall,  yet  it  is 
a  great  deal,  to  have  attempted  in  a  great  Defign.  Seek 
the  Peace  of  Jenifalem,  they  fhall  profper  that  love  thee. 

We  give  Thanks  unto  the  God  of  Peace,  who  would 
not  fufter  the  Labours  of  his  Servant  endeavouring  after 
Peace,  to  be  undertaken  altogether  without  Succefs, 
Therefore,  moft  worthy  Sir,  go  on  in  this  your  Strength, 
rcfting  on  the.  Prophecy  for  the  denred  Concord,  fhat 

it 


APPENDIX.  i*3 

it  /hall  he  in  its  own  appointed  Time.  The  Powers  which 
have  obeyed  the  Roman  Harlot,  mall  hate  her,  make 
her  naked,  and  burn  her  with  Fire  ;  for  God  hath  put 
it  into  the  Hearts  of  the  Kings,  that  they  mould  fulfil 
his  Will.  It  doth  not  become  thofe  that  have  a  meet 
Underflanding  of  Things,  to  doubt  of  their  Agreement 
in  the  Faith,  who  are  to  burn  to  Afh.es  the  Metropolis 
of  the  laft  Head  of  the  Bean:,  as  an  Enemy  to  the 
Faith.  The  Difcord  of  the  Kings  detains  the  Whore 
on  her  Throne,  and  keeps  the  Woman  in  the  Wilder- 
nef$,  while  they  are  contending  amongft  themfelves. 
It  7?iakes  all  Priamus  his  Houfe  rejoyce, 
And  other  Trojans  to  lift  up  their  Voice. 
But  this  their  facred  Concord,  the  renowned  Sons  of 
Sion  cannot  but  look  upon,  as  a  forerunner  of  the  De- 
ftrudtion  of  Rome,  now  at  the  very  Doors  •,  and  accord- 
ingly with  their  daily  and  moll  ardent  Prayers  breathe 
after,  hope,  and  long  for  the  fame. 

Laflly,  We  give  Thanks  to  Mr.  Bury,  into  whofe 
Heart  it  came  to  remember  Jofeph,  feparate  from  his 
Brethren  at  fo  great  a  Diftance,  both  by  Sea  and  Land  \ 
and  who  hath  vouchfafed  with  fo  comfortable  a  Mefllige 
to  vifit  us  poor  Wretches,  clothed  in  Sackcloth  for  cur 
Warfare  \  yet.  as  we  truft,  the  Sackcloth  of  the  Gol- 
pel :  who  hath  not  refufed  to  put  New- England,  as  a 
part  of  the  Skirt  of  Aaron's  Garment,  upon  which  hath 
defcended  fome  of  the  precious  Oyl,  into  the  Catalogue 
of  the  fo  much  famed  Agreement :  And  who  hath  by 
his  Letter  exhorting  unto  fuch  an  Agreement,  given 
us  an  Occafion  to  bring  in  this  Teflimony,  fuch  as  it  is, 
for  our  brotherly  Communion  with  the  whole  Company 
of  Proteftants  profeffing  the  Faith  of  Chrift  Jeius. 
For  we  muft  ingenuoufly  confefs,  that  then,  when  all 
'Things  were  quiet,  and  no  threatning  Signs  of  War  ap- 
peared, feeing  we  could  not  be  permitted  by  the  "Bijbops  at 
that  Time  prevailing,  to  perform  the  Office  of  the  Miniftry 
in  Publick,  nor  yet  to  enjoy  the  holy  Ordinances  without 
'■  Stubfiription^  qnd  Conformity,  (as  they  were  wont  to  fpeak) 

y  z  w 


i64  APPEND  IX. 

nor  without -the-  mixture  of  Humane  Inventions  with  DU 
vin&  Institutions,  we  chofe  rather  to  depart  into  the  remote 
and?  unknown  Coajls  of  the  Earth*  for  the  fake  of  a  -purer 
Worfiip,  than  to  lye  down  under  the  Hierarchy  in  the 
abundance  cf  all  Things,  but  with  the  prejudice  of  Con- 
fidence. Bui  Wat  in  flying  from  our  Country*  we  fhould 
renounce  Communion  with  fitch  Churches  as  profefs  the 
Gofpcl,  is  a  T'hing  which  we  confidently  and  folemnly  deny. 

Certainh,  fo  far  as  concerns  our  fielves,  in  whatever 
Sffiemblies  ■  among  ft  us  the  whole  Company  of  them  that 
profefs  the  Gof[el,  the  Fundamentals  of'  Doctrine,  and 
Efjentials  of  Order  are  maintained,  altho9  in  many  niceties 
cf  con! rover [al  Divinity  they  are  at  lefs  Agreement  with 
its,  we  do  hereby  make  it  manifeft  (which  yet  we  would 
alwa  a  have  under/food,  fo  as  the  leaft  part  of  Truth,  ac- 
cording to  the  Nature  of  that  Reverence  which  ought  ex- 
nelly  to  be  yielded  thereunto,  may  be  preferved)  that  we 
do  acknowledge  thijn  all,  and  every  one  for  Brethren-,  and 
that  we  Jhallle  'ready  to  give  unto  them  the  Right  Hands 
cf  Fellow /hip  in  the  Lord,  if  in  other  Things  they  be  peace- 
able, and  walk  orderly  (f). 

We  humbly  befeech  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jcfus  Chrjfl,  in  whofe  Lips  is  only  Power  to  perfwade, 
that  he  would  enlighten  Princes,  Divines,  and  even  all 
who  are  rightly  called  Chrifiians  from  die  Name  of 
Chriit,  with  the  lively  Splendor  ol  fuch  an  Agreement, 
and  draw  them  with  a  Soul-moving'  Energy  to  the 
divine  Love  of  himfelf.  As  for  that  which  concerns 
your  fclf,  the  iweetefl  Follower  of  Peace,  We  fhould 

account 


(f)  Cette  ad  t,o$  quod  attinct  {quod  tamen  vel  Ungula  vcritd- 
tn  pio  Ratiove  Rtligwnii  illi  ad  Amuljhi}  a&hibends.  ftmpjr  falva 
djtfum  -columns)  quofeunque  apud  Czius  per  uvivefum  Evange- 
licoritm  Cbomm  frundanicMtaiia  Doitrinac  &  EfTemialia  Ordinis 
vgeatit,  qujinvh  in  pleriltjue  Controverts  1  neologise  Apici- 
bus  nobil'cum  juxta  minus  Sentiant ',  Illos  tamen  ad  Wnii*t 
cmnes  pro  Ftatribiis  cgnofctmus :  Iifqite  ccttera  I\:cfcis^.  or* 
dmate  incedentibus  Dcxiram  Communionis  in  Dommo  goti'i- 
gti  c  pat  atij/imos  nos  tjfc  Li  fee  paiani  fecitnui. 


APPEND  IX.  165- 

account  it  an  heinous  Crime  to  be  wanting  unto  you  in 
our  Prayers  to  the  very  God  of  Peace,  That  he  would 
fo  preferve  your  Life,  your  Courfe,  and  your  Work, 
that  you  may  bring  unto  a  Conclufion  your  fo  eminent 
Undertaking,  with  fo  many  Sighs,  Labours,  Sweatings, 
Dangers,  and  with  fo  great  Charges  hitherto  carried 
on :  If  otherwife,  and  that  it  feem  good  to  the  great 
Determiner  of  Things,  before  this  come  to  pafs  to  ad- 
vance him  that  hath  been  a  follower  of  Peace  on  Earth, 
to  the  State  of  a  BlefTed  Saint  in  Heaven ;  that  then 
he  would  raife  up  other  Duryes,  who  may  bring  the 
Work  fo  happily  begun  to  its  defired  End. 

Your  mod  obfervant  Brethren  in  Chrift,  The  Minifters 
of  the  Churches,  and  Preachers  of  the  Word,  Militant 
for  the  Faith  of  Jcfus  in  New- England: 

John  Wilfon    Paftor  of  B  oft  on. 
John  Norton   Teacher  of  the  fame. 
John  Mayo   Paftor  of  Neve-Bofton. 
Richard  Mather  Teacher  of  Dorchefler. 
John  Mm  Paftor  of  Dedbam. 
John  Eliot  Teacher  of  Roxhury. 
Samuel  Dan  forth  Paftor  of  the  fame, 
William  Thorn/on   Paftor  of  Braintry. 
Henry  Flint  Teacher  of  the  fame. 
Thomas  Thatcher  Teacher  of  Weymouth* 
Peter  Hubbard  Paftor  of  Hingham. 
John  Miller  Paftor  of  Tarmouth. 
John  Wilfon  junior  Paftor  of  Medfield. 
Zechariah  SymmCs  Paftor  of  Charlejlown, 
Thomas  Shcpard  Teacher  of  the  fame. 
Samuel  Stone  Teacher  of  Hartford. 
Jonathan  Mitchel  Paftor  of  Cambridge* 
John  Sherman  Paftor  of  Water  town* 
Edmund  Brown   Paftor  of  Sudbury. 
Edtvard  Bulkly  Paftor  of  Concord. 
Thomas  Carter   Paftor  of  Wobomt» 
Samuel  Haugh  Paftor  of  Reding. 
John   Fuke  Paftor  of  Chelmsford* 
John  Reyner  Teacher  of  Dover. 
Ezekiel  Rogers  Teacher  of  Rowlj. 
Samuel  Philips  Teacher  of  the  fame- 
Samuel  Whiting  Paftor  of  Ljh. 


j66  APPENDIX. 

John  Higginfon   Paftor  of  Salem. 

Thomas  Collet   Paftor  of  Ipfwich. 

William  Hullard   Teacher  of  the  fame. 

Francis  Dane  Teacher  of  Andover. 

William  Worcefier  Paftor  of  Silishury* 

John  Ward  Paftor  of  HaverbU. 

Timothy  Dalton  Teacher  of  Hampon* 

Sealorn  Cotton  of  the  fame. 

Jofeph  Emerfon  Paftor  of  York. 

Michael  Wigglefvoorth  Paftor  of  Maldon. 

William  Walton  Minifter  of  the  Word. 

Kalfh  Smith  Minifter  of  the  Word. 

Charles  Chauncy,  Prefident  of  Harvard  College* 

Gerjbom  Bulkly     } 

Thomas  Grave     (  p  u  f   fa    m  Ql] 

^ecb.  oymmes        C  ° 

Zech.  Brigdcn        j 


Numb.  IV. 

I  Might  fitly  fubjoin  to  the  Letter  Foregoing  ano- 
ther Letter  of  the  famous  Mr.  John  Daven- 
port Batchelor  of  Divinity,  who  was  Minifter  of 
New  Haven  and  afterwards  Paftor  of  the  firft  Church 
in  Bofton  New-England,  to  the  pious  Dury  upon  the 
fame  Occafion  that  the  foregoing  Letter  was  written ; 
which  Letter  was  figned  by  the  Minifters  of  Connefticut 
Colony.  This  Letter  breathes  the  very  fame  good  and 
catholic  Spirit  with  the  foregoing  one.  But,  left  the 
Appendix  mould  fwell  too  much  upon  us,  I  confent  to 
the  dropping  it.  N  B.  As  I  fignified  concerning  the 
former  Letter  -,  fo  I  would  advertize  concerning  this, 
that  if  any  Gentlemen  or  others  defire  to  fee  the  Original 
Copy  of  it,  I  have  it  at  their  Service. 


A 


Numb.  V. 

ND,  as  a  farther  Demonftration  of  the  Catholic 
and  Generous  Principles  of  the  firft  Founders  of 

theft 


APPENDIX.  167 

thefe  Churches,  I  would  alk  Leave  of  the  Reader  to 
refer  him  to  the  New-England  Chronology  of  the  learned 
and  accurate  Mr.  Prince  of  Bofton-,  in  Pages  the 
Eighty  eighth.  Eighty  ninth9  Ninetieth,  Ninety  firft, 
Ninety  fecond  and  Ninety  third  of  which  Chronology  he 
will  find  abundant  Satisfaction  upon  this  Head. 


Part  the  fecond,  containing  the  Proofs 
and  Evidences  of  a  Consociation  of 
Churches  among  thefe  Churches  for 
their  mutual  Light  and  Affiftance. 

IN  the  twenty  Jirfi  Page  of  tfhe  Difcourfe  concerning 
Congregational  Churches  I  have  affirmed,  that  thefe 
Churches  acknowledge  a  Confociation  of  Churches,  for 
imparting  mutual  Light  and  Affiftance:  And  in  the 
Eighth  Chapter  of  this  Book  I  have  maintain'd  the 
fame  Thing.  Now,  for  the  more  full  Proof  and  Con- 
firmation of  this  Point,  I  fhall  here  reprint  from  my 
honoured  Grandfather's  Book,  entitled,  "The  Order  of 
the  Churches  in  New- England  vindicated,  his  Anfwer 
to  this  Queftion,  Is  it  expedient  that  Churches  Jhould 
enter  into  a  Confociation,  or  Agreement ,  that  Matters  of 
more  than  ordinary  Importance,  fuch  as  the  Gathering  of 
a  New  Church,  the  Ordination,  Depofition,  or  'Tranfation 
of  a  Paftor  be  done  with  common  Qonfent  ? 

Anfw.  This  is  both  Expedient  and  NecefTary.  The 
Synod  which  Convened  at  Bofton  Anno  1662.  has  fuffi- 
ciently  cleared  this  Point,     And  although  there  was  in 

that 


j  68  APPENDIX. 

that  Synod  fome  difTent  as  to  the  Qiieftioh  about  the 
Subjecl  of  Baptifm  then  difcufs'd  \  in  the  Anfwer  to  the 
other  Queftion  relating  to  the  Confociation  of  Churches, 
there  was  an  unanimous  Concurrence.  The  Defipn  of 
which  is  not  fas  has  been  well  obferved  by  Dr.  (a) 
Ames  and  Mr.  (b)  Parker)  to  infringe  the  Liberty  of 
particular  Churches,  but  from  the  Word  of  God  to 
direct  and  itrengthen  them  in  the  regular  Exercife 
thereof.     The  Reafons  for  it  are  fuch  as  thefe. 

i .  The  Churches  of  Chrift  Hand  in  a  Sifterly  Rela- 
tion each  to  other  under  Chrift  their  Head,  having  the 
fame  Faith,  and  ought  to  have  the  fame  Order.  EpL 
4.  5.  Col.  2.  5.  Phil.  3.  16.  This  Union  implies 
a  fuitable  Communion,  and  that  they  ought  to  have 
a  mutual  Care  each  of  other.     Ca?it.  8.  8. 

2 .  The  Scripture  teacheth  that  in  weighty  Cafes  we 
mould  afk  Counfel.  2  Sam.  20.  18.  Prov.  3.  5.  and 
15.  22.  and  24.  6.  ,  Which  General  Rules  concern 
Polities  as  well  as  particular  Perfons,  and  Churches  as 
well  as  civil  Societies. 

3.  There  are  Scripture  Examples  to  inftrucl  us  in 
our  Duty  herein.  We  find,  that  when  the  Church  in 
Antioch  had  a  weighty  Cafe  before  them,  they  fent  to 
another  Church  for  Counfel,  Atl.  15.  2.  The  Apoftle 
Pad  fought  for  the  Concurrence,  and  Right  Hand  of 
Fellow/hip  of  other  Apoftles,  Gal.  2.  9.  Ordinary 
Elders  and  Churches  have  no  lefs  need  of  each  other  to 
prevent  their  running  in  vain.    Gal.  2.  2. 

4.  Such  a  Communion  of  Churches  as  that  which  we 
plead  for,  is  no  Innovation,  but  that  which  has  ever 
been  the  Profeflion  and  Practice  of  thofe  that  have  been 
called  Congregational.  There  is  a  Book  which  bears 
the  Title  of,  An  Anfwer  of  the  Elders  of  the  feveral 
Churches  in  New-England  to  Thirty  two  Queftions,  Prin- 
ted in  the  Year  1643.    Of  which  Book  my  Father 

Mather 

(a)  Medul.Tbeol.  L.  is  C.  39.  TheC.  tfp 
It)  Dspl,  cctlef.  L,  3,  C.  Hi 


APT  E  N  D  T  X.  169 

Mather  was  the  fole  Author  And  he  wrote  it  in  the 
Primitive  Times  of  thefe  Churches,  (viz.  in  the  Year 
1639.)  as  himfelf  affured  me.  What  he  wrote  was  ap- 
proved of  by  other  Eiders,  efpecially  by  Mr.  Cotton, 
unto  whom  he  communicated  it.  Now  in  Anfwer  to 
Q^  18.  p.  64.  are  thefe  Words,  The  Confociation  of 
Churches  into  Clajfes  and  Synods,  we  held  to  be  lawful, 
and  in  fome  Cafes  necejfary  :  As  namely,  in  Things  -that 
are  not  peculiar  to  one  Church,  but  common  to  them  all. 
And  likewife,  when  a  Church  is  not  able  to  end  any  Mat- 
ter which  concerns  only  themfelves,  then  they  are  to  feek 
for  Counfel  and  Advice  from  Neighbour  Churches,  as  the 
Church  at  Antioch  did  fend  unto  the  Church  at  Jerufa- 
lem,  Act.  15.  2.  The  Ground  and  Ufe  of  CI  a  lies  and 
Synods  with  the  Limitations  therein  to  be  obferved,  is 
fummarily  laid  down  by  Dr.  Ames,  unto  whom  we  do 
wholly  confent  in  this  Matter.  This  was,  and  is  the 
Judgment  of  all  that  adhere  to  the  Order  of  the  Gofpel 
profeffed  in  the  Churches  of  Nezv- England.  The  World 
is  much  miftaken  in  thinking  that  Congregational  Chur- 
ches are  Independent.  The  Name  has  indeed  been 
faftned  upon  them  by  their  Adverfiries  -,  but  our  Plat- 
form of  Difcipline  Chap.  2.  Seel.  5.  difciaims  the  Name. 
And  fo  does  our  renowned  Hooker  (c)  in  his  Survey  of 
Church  Difcipline.  Likewife  thofe  famous  Apologifts  in 
the  AfTembly  at  Weflminfler,  viz.  Dr.  Goodwin,  Mr. 
Nye,  Mr.  Simpfon,  Mr.  Burroughs,  and  Mr.  Bridge, 
fay,  that  //  is  a  Maxim  to  be  abhorred,  that  a  fugle  and 
particular  Society  of  Men  frofefftng  the  Name  of  Chrift, 
flmdd  arrogate  to  themfelves  an  Exemption  from  giving  an 
Account  to,  or  being  cenfurable  by  Neighbour  Churches 
about  them.  That  Apoftle  of  his  Age,  (as  Dr.  Goodwin 
calls  him)  Mr.  Cotton,  the  firft  and  forever  famous 
Teacher  in  this  Boflon,  when  he  in  the  Name  ot  the 
Elders  and  Meilengers  of  the  Churches,  gave  to  Mr. 
Mitchei  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowfhip,  at  his  Ordina- 

Z  tiori 


(c)  Part  z.  Chop    J« 


iro  APPEND!  X. 

tion  to  the  Paftoral  Office  in  the  Church  of  Cambridge, 
he  did  in  a  lingular  Manner  recommend  to  him  (and 
that  excellent  Man  was  to  his  dying  Day  mindful  of 
Mr.  Cotton's  Advice)  Endeavours  for  the  eftablifhment 
of  a  Confociation  amongft  the  Churches  of  Chrift  through- 
out this  Colony,  that  wife  Man  forefeeing  that  without 
this,  Diforder  and  Confufion  would  in  Procefs  of  Time 
"inevitably  happen ;  as  I  have  more  largely  declared  in 
(d)  another  Difcourfe  in  which  Mr.  Cotton's  Propofals 
refpecting  the  Confociation  mentioned,  are  publifh'd  to 
the  World.  Moreover,  that  the  concurring  Judgment 
of  thofe  who  are  Congregational  is  according  hereunto  is 
evident  from  the  Declaration  of  Faith  and  Order  which 
was  agreed  unto  by  the  MefTengers  of  One  hundred  and 
Twenty  Congregational  Churches  in  England,  who  met 
at  the  Savoy  in  London,  Anno  1658.  They  thus  de- 
clare, (e)  In  cafe  of  Difficulties  and  Differences  in  Point  of 
Doclrine,  wherein  either  the  Churches  in  general  are  con- 
cerned in  their  Peace,  Union  and  Edification,  or  any 
Member  or  Members  of  any  Church  are  injured  in,  or  by 
any  Proceeding  in  Cenfures  not  agreeable  to  'Truth  and 
Order :  It  is  according  to  the  Mind  of  Chrift,  that  many 
Churches  holding  Cojnmunion  together,  do  by  their  Mejfen- 
gers  meet  in  a  Synod  or  Council  to  confider  and  give  their. 
Advice  in,  or  about  the  Matter  in  Difference.  But  the 
Teftimony  of  that  BlefTed  Jeremiah  Burroughs  puts  the 
Thing  beyond  all  Difpute.  For  his  Words  are  thefe, 
(/)  Thofe  in  the  Congregational  Way  acknowledge, 

1 .  That  they  are  bound  in  Confcience  to  give  Account 
cf  their  TVays  to  Churches  about  them,  or  to  any  other 
who  Jhall  require  it.  This  not  in  an  Arbitrary  way,  but 
as  a  Duty  which  they  owe  to  God  and  Man. 

2.  They  acknowledge  that  Synods  of  other  Minifters  and 
Elders  about  them  are  an  Ordinance  of  Jefus  Chrift  for 
the  helping  the  Church  againft  Errors,  Schifms  and  Scan- 
dals. !  3.  Tl:ai 

(d)  In  my  fir  ft  Principles  of  N.  E.  p.zS.  &c, 
if)  In  hii  Iienicum.  $<  43,  44,-47, 


APPENDIX.  i7r 

3.  That  thefe  Synods  may  from  the  Power  they  have 
from  Chrijl,  admonijh  Men  and  Churches  in  his  Name, 
when  they  fee  Evils  continuing  in,  or  growing  upon  the 
Churchy  and  their  Admonitions  carry  with  them  the  Autho^ 
rity  of  Jefus  Chrijl. 

4.  As  there  fhall  be  Caufe,  they  may  declare  Men  or 
Churches  to  he  fubverters  of  the  Faith,  or  otherwife  ac- 
cording to  the  Nature  of  their  Offence,  to  Jhame  them 
before  all  the  Churches  about  them. 

5.  They  may  by  a  folemn  Atl  in  the  Name  of  Jefus 
Chrijl,  refufe  any  further  Co?n?nunion  with  them  till  they 
repent. 

6.  They  may  declare  alfo  in  the  Name  of  Chrijl,  that 
thofe  erring  People  or  Churches  are  not  to  be  received 
into  Fellowfhip  with  any  of  the  Churches  of  Chrijl,  nor 
to  have  Communion  with  any  other  in  the  Ordinances  of 
Chrijl. 

If  it  fhall  be  faid,  furely  they  do  not  come  up  to  thefe 
fix  Things  mentioyied.  To  that  I  anfwer,  (Yays  Mr.  Bur- 
roughs) I  do  not  in  thefe  deliver  only  my  own  Judgment, 
but  by  what  I  know  of  the  Judgment  of  all  thofe  Brethren 
with  whom  I  have  Occafion  to  converfe  by  Conference 
both  before  and  fince,  I  ft  and  charged  to  make  it  good  to 
be  their  Judgment  alfo  ^  yea,  it  has  been  theirs  and  mine 
for  divers  Tears,  even  then  when  we  never  thought  to 
have  enjoyed  our  own  Land  again.  We  fee  by  thefe 
Teflimonies  that  Congregational  Men  in  general,  as  well 
as  the  Churches  of  New -England  in  ipecial,  are  no  fuch 
Independents,  no  fuch  Brownifts,  no  fuch  Morcllians,  as 
fome  have-reprefented  them  to  be. 

5.  If  we  admit  not  a  Confociatton  of  Churches,  there 
will  be  no  Remedy  againil  the  Male  Adminiftrations  of 
particular  Churches;  nor  any  Cure  of  Schifms,  or 
Errors  that  may  happen  in  our  Churches.  This  has 
been  objected  (but  injurioully)  as  a  Scandal  attending 
the  Congregational  Church  Discipline,  and  that  therefore 
it  is  a  Way  not  practicable.  Indeed  if  we  refufe  this 
part   of  Church  Co?nmunion,   the  Objection  would  be 

Z  2  un~ 


i7i  A  PP  E  N  D  IX. 

unanfwerabb.  And  who  would  be.  willing  to  be  a 
Member  of  that  Church,  in  which  altho'  he  mould  be 
never  fo  much  wrong'd,  there  would  be  no  Relief  for 
him  upon  Earth  ?  There  was  once  a  Church  in  New- 
England,  which  having  cenfured  one  of  their  Members, 
he  complain'd  of  the  fuppofeci  Wrong  done  him,  to 
Neighbour  Elders,  who  thought  he  had  receiv'd  hard 
Meal u re.  The  Pallor  and  major  part  of  the  Church 
were  not  willing  the  Cafe  mould  have  a  re-hearing 
before  the  Elders  and  MefTengers  of  other  Churches. 
Upon  this,  great  Clamours  were  raifed,  and  Prejudices 
taken  up  againic  the  Congregational  Difcipline.  Mr. 
C&wdfey  got  this  Story  by  the  End,  and  in  his  Epiftle: 
lo  the  Dijfenting  Brethren,  p.  10.  He  fiys  that  a  Mi- 
niller  in  N.  E.  writes  over  to  England,  that  this  injured 
Perfon  would  have  no  remedy  until  the  Churehes  in 
New- England  were  become  Prefbyierians,  and  that  if 
Independency  does  not  break  all  the  Churches  in  New- 
England  excepting  a  few  Semi-  Prefbyterians,  fome  are 
deceived.  Who  the  Miniiler  was  that  wrote  thus  to 
England,  Mr.  Caw  drey  tell  us  not.  But  it  is  a  great 
Wrong  to  the  Churches  of  New -England,  and  to  the 
way  Congregational  to  reprefent  them,  and  all  that  are 
of  that  way,  as  being '  or  fucli  Independent  and  Unaccoun- 
table Principles,  which  they  utterly  dilclaim.  Dr.  Owen 
in  his  Difciplinary  Catechijm,  and  efpecially  in  the  Ad- 
dii.ament  thereunto,  (which  was  written  on  Occafion  of 
a  harm  and  rath  Cenfure.  in  the  Independent  Church  in 
Cambridge  in  '  England)  has  with  great  Evidence  of 
Reafon,  refuted  the  maintainers  ot  fuch  an  Indepen- 
dency. 

6.  The  Order  afferted  is  (as  has  been  truly  obferved 
by  the  Learned  Dealer  laft  mention'd)  confirm'd  by  the 
Practice  of  the  frit  Churches  after  the  Apoilles :  For 
when  the  Church  In  Co  rim \b  had  by  an  undue  Exercife 
of  DiT&pdine  dtpoied  fome  of  their  Elders,  the  Church 
cf  Route  taking  Cognizance  of  it,  wrote  to  them,  Fe* 
proving  their '■  raihnels,  and  advis'd  their  Reftorauo^ 

•  as 


AP  PENDIX.  173 

as  it  is  to  be  fecn  in  the  Epiftle  of  Clement  then  Pallor 
of  the  Church  in  Rome,  which  Clement  is  thought  to  be 
the  fame  whom  Paul  fpeaks  of,  Phil.  4.  3.  And 
when  the  Church  of  rfntiocb  was  afterwards  troubled 
with  the  Herefies  of  their  Paftor  Samofetanus,  the 
Neighbouring  Paftors  came  unto  the  Church,  and  joinM 
their  Concurrence  in  his  Depofition.  It  is  certain  that 
in  the  nex£  Ages  to  the  Apoftles,  a  Paftor  was  not 
fettled  in  any  Church  without  the  Concurrence  of  others. 
When  the  Church  had  Elected  a  Paftor,  they  prefented 
him  to  the  Neighbour  Paftors  for  their  Approbation, 
nor  could  he  be  legally  conhrm'd  without  it.  (g)  Eufe- 
bius  tells  us  that  when  Alexander  was  chofen  Paftor  of 
the  Church  in  Jerusalem  by  the  Brethren  of  that  Place, 
he  had  the  common  Confentof  the  Circumjacent  Paftors. 
And  thus  (as  Cyprian  informs  us)  it  was  pracufed  in  all 
the  Churches  throughout  Africa.  He  fpeaks  particu- 
larly concerning  Sabinus,  who  was  Elected  a  Paftor  of 
Eremita  in  Spain,  that  Neighbour  Minifters  concurred 
in  his  Ordination,  after  the  Fraternity  had  Elecled  him. 
His  Words  are,  (h)  Quod fallum  videmus  in  fabini  Or- 
dinatione  ut  de  univerfs  Fraternitatis  fuffragio,  &  de 
Epifcoporum  judicio,  Epifcopatus  ei  deferetur.  We  find 
in  Ecclefiaftical  Story,  that  in  the  Primitive  Times  the 
Names  of  Perfons  to  be  ordained  were  publifh'd  abroad 
that  lb  if  any  one  had  ought  to  object  they  might  pro- 
duce it.  Which  Cuftom  of  the  Chriftians  in  the  Elec- 
tion of  their  Paftors  was  fo  highly  approv'd  of  by  the 
Emperor  Severus,  as  that  he  would  have  it  put  in  Prac- 
tice in  eftabliihing  Gov ernours  of  Provinces  throughout 
the  Empire. 

7.  Neither  do  the  Reformed  Churches  ordain  a 
Minifter  without  the  concurrence  and  approbation  of 
Neighbour  Minifters.  To  give  the  Right  Hand  of  Fel- 
lovfhip  to  a  new  ordain'd  Minifter,  was  a  uilul  Cuftom 


mjDilgflj 


(g)  Lib.  s.  C.  ii. 


174  APPENDIX. 

amongft  the  Churches  in  Bohemia,  for  which  they  alledg'd 
this  Scripture,  Gal.  2.  9.  as  is  teftify'd  by  (/)  Co- 
menius.  In  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation  in  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  one  Article  of  their  Difcipline,  is, 
That  when  a  Minifier  is  ordain* &  the  reft  of  the  Minifters 
jhall  take  the  Elefted  by  the  Hand  in  fign  of  their  Confent, 
as  is  related  in  the  Hiftory  of  the  Reformation  (h)y  which 
goeth  under  the  Name  of  Mr.  Knox.  I  find  alio,  that 
there  is  the  like  Practice  in  the  Proteftant  French 
Churches,  &c. 


Part  the  third ;  containing  a  Vindica- 
tion of  the  New-Englifh  Churches  in 
fundry  Inftances,  taken  from  A  Let- 
ter of  Advice  to  the  Churches  of  the 
Non-Conformifts  in  the  Englifli  Na- 
tion,  endeavouring  their  Satisfaction  in 
that  Point,  who  are  the  true  Church  of 
England;  which  Letter  was, written 
by  Dr.  MATHER  my  honoured 
Father  and  publifh'd  at  London  in 
the  Year  1700.  N.  B.  The  infamous 
Wefley,  in  his  printed  Abufes  of  Mr* 
MORTON's  Academy,  where  the 
Alms  of  the  Diflenters,  efpecially  of 

.    -  . -the 

(i)   Ratio.  Difci£lm,  p.  33. 


APPENDIX  i7j 

the  renowned  Dr.   OWEN,   had 

given  him  his  Education,  laments 
the  Danger  of  the  Church  of  England 
from  Three,  whom  he  makes  confi- 
derable  Adverfanes,  whereof  the 
Writer  of  this  Letter  of  Advice  is 
one :  But  he  concludes  with  com- 
forting himfelf,  that  the  Intercefllon 
of  K.  CHARLES  the  Martyr  in  the 
Heavens  for  it  will  preferve  it. 


THE  Author  of  this  Letter  having  fhewn,  that  the 
DifTenters  in  England  are  more  ftricl  Adherers  to 
the  DoEirinal  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England  than  fome 
who  make  the  greateft  Noife  in  behalf  of  that  Churchy  then 
proceeds  as  follows. 

But  the  Non-conformifts  cannot  be  fincere  Mem- 
bers of  the  Church  of  England,  becaufe  they  do  not  ac- 
knowledge the  Divine  Right  of  the  Modern  DIOCE- 
SAN EPISCOPACY.  No!  I  pray,  why  not  ?  Let 
us  a  little  enquire  into  the  Judgment  of  the  Old  and  the 
True  Church  of  England  upon  this  Matter,  and  it  will 
prefently  appear,  that  you  are  far  more  of  the  Church  of 
England ,  than  thok  Fanaticks  (of  late  fo  much  increafed) 
that  not  only  advance  the  Jus  Divinum  of  their  Diocefan 
Epifcopacy,  but  alio  queftion  the  validity  of  the  Sacra- 
ments adminiftred  by  any  that  have  not  received  their 
Ordination  from  it.  Albeit  the  prefent  Form  of  making 
and  confe crating  Bifhops,  Priefts,  and  Deacons,  aflerts. 
That  Bifhops  and  Priefts  are  diftincl  Orders,  and  they 
muft  be  publifhed  as  Excommunicate,  who  affirm,  T'hat 
this  Book  does  contain  any  thing  in  it  repugnant  to  the 
Word  of  God ;  Yet,  my  Brethren,  from  the  Beginning  it 

was 


j  y6  APPENDIX. 

was  not  fo.  Behold,  The  Church  of  England  it  felf 
(lands  Excommunicate  by  its  own  Canons,  as  much  as 
you.  It  is  notorious,  that  the  Diocefan  Epifcopacy  and 
the  National  Church-Government  by  Bijhops,  was*never 
own'd  to  be  Jure  Divino  until  K.  James  I.  came  to  be 
King  of  England.  It  was  he,  who  upon  the  Enchant- 
ments of  Bancroft,  firft  yielded  unto  that,  which  his 
PredecefTors  would  never  have  endured,  (d)  Even  in 
King  Elf  rick's  Days,  (e)  the  Church  of  England  plainly 
denied  Bijhops  and  Priefts  to  be  diftincl  Orders.  But  I 
will  not  carry  you  back  to  fuch  early  Days.  In  the 
Days  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  Tindal(f)  exprefly 
maintain'd,  c  That  the  ApofiTes  following  the  Rule  of 
4  Chrift,  ordained   in  his  Kingdom  and  Congregation 

*  Two  Officers ;  one  called  Bijhop,  which  fame  was  cal- 
c  led  Prieft  and  Elder  ;  and  another  called  Deacon.    All 

*  that  were  called  Elders  or  Priefts  f  he  fays)  were  called 
c  Bijhops  alfo.  Thus  wrote  the  Martyr  who  was  own'd 
by  his  Enemies  themfelves,  Homo  doclus,  pius,  £f?  bonus. 

Lambert  exprefly  maintain'd,  (g)  ■  That  in  the  Primi- 
c  tive  Church  there  were  no  more  Officers  than  Bijloops 
'  and  Deacons  ;  and  Hierom  faith,  Thofe  we  call  Priefts 
€  are  all  one,  and  no  other  but  Bijhops,  and  the  Bijhops 

*  none  other  but  Priefts.     One  of  the  Articles  againft 

*  Barnes,  was  (h)  his  holding,  That  they  who  in  one 
8  Place  are  called  Epifcopi,  or  Bijhops,  you  mall  find  in 

*  many  that  they  be  called  Prejhyteri,  or  Elders ;  and 
c  that  according  to  Aihanajius,  every  City  fhould  have 

*  its  proper  Paftor  -,  and  according  to   Chryjoftom,   the 

*  Teachers  were  not  to  be  diffracted  with  the  governing 
'  many  Churches,  but  have  the  Care  and  Charge  of  one 
4  Church  only.  And  this  Perfuafion  wherein  you  thus 
follow  vour  Fathers,  the  BieiTed  Martyrs  of  the  Church 


(t)  See  this  proved  in  Mr,  Lob's  Tiue  D]fcntcrt  Chtp.  *. 

(?)  Spelman,  p.  576.  I.  17. 

(\)  la  his  rn  a  ice  of  p0pijb  Prelaw, 

(e)  In  ABi  and  A/wi.  Vol,  t. 


A  P  P  E  N  D  I  X.  177 

of  England*  at  laft  prevail'd  fo  far,  that  Cranmer  himfelf, 
with  others,  embraced  it.  Yea,  'twas  not  long  before 
this  became  a  Point  eftablifh'd  by  Authority ;  and,  in 
The  necejfary  Erudition  of  a  Chriftian  Man,  a  Book  then 
publilh'd  by  Authority,  as  the  Doctrine  of  the  Church 
of  England,  it  is  exprefly  affirm'd,  That  of  thefe  two 
Orders  only  [Priefts  and  Deacons]  Scripture  makes  ex- 
prefs  mention.  The  (i)  Declaration  about  the  Inftitution 
of  Bijhops  and  Priefts,  then  alio  fubfcrib'd  by  the  brave 
Lord  Cromwel  and  the  Archbijhops  of  Canterbury  and 
Yor^  and  other  Bijhops  and  Civilians,  denied  any  Supe- 
riority of  a  Bi/hop  above  a  Prieft,  to  be  found  in  the 
New  Teftament,  and  allow'd  unto  a  Prieft  the  Power  of 
Ordination,  and  of  Excommunication.  In  the  very  firft 
Year  of  Edward  the  Sixth's  Reign,  there  was  an  Acl  of 
Parliament,  which  (k)  as  Heylin  complains,  forced  the 
Epifcopal  Order  from  their  ftrong  hold  of  Divine  Infti- 
tution, and  make  them  no  other  than  the  King's  Mmif- 
iers  only.  Dr.  Poinet,  the  Bifhop  of  Winchefter,  then 
writing  againft  Gardiner,  mews,  That  the  Reformers  in 
thofe  Days,  were  willing  even  to  lay  afide  the  Name 
of  Bifhop,  and  fay  Elder  inftead  of  it.  And  the  in* 
comparable  Cranmer  in  his  Refolutions  to  the  King's 
Queftions,  approv'd  by  other  Bifhops,  has  thefe  exprefs 
Words,  (/)  The  Bijhops  and  Priefts  were  not  two  diftir'ci 
Things,  but  both  one  Office  in  the  beginning  of  Chrhfs 
Religion;  and  he  farther  makes  it  maniicit,  th.it  the 
great  Reformers  own'd  not  Epifcopacy  as  a  diftintl  Order 
trom  Prefbytery  to  be  of  Divine  Right,  bun  only  as  a 
prudent  Constitution  of  the  Magiftrates  for  [he  letter 
governing  of  the  Church.  Beacon  alfo,  a  famous  Pro- 
tectant Refugee  in  Q^  Mary's  Time,  in  his  Cdtethtfrn, 
dedicated  to  both  Archbijhops,  puts  the  Queftion,   What 

A  a  difference 


(i)  Sec  tht  Addenda  to  Dr.  Burners  Hftory  of  Rtfoimuicn, 

(k)  Hiftory  0? Edward  VI.  p.  J*. 
(I)  Refoi  so  £.  to. 


t78  APPENDI  X. 

difference  is  there  "between  a  Bijhop  and  a  Prejbyter? 
And  anfwers,  None  at  all ;  their  Office  is  the  fame,  their 
Authority  and  Power  is  one.  Upon  the  revival  of  the 
Reformation,  at  Q^  Elizabeth's  coming  to  the  Crown, 
the  mod  acknowledg'd  and  celebrated  Writers  of  the 
Church  of  England,  ftill  made  the  very  fame  Conceffion. 
Dr.  Alley,  the  Bifhop  of  Exeter,  in  his  Mifcellanea,  (m) 
proves,  both  from  the  Acls  of  the  Apoftles,  and  from  the 
Epiftle  to  the  Philippians,  That  the  Scriptures  make  no 
difference  between  Bijhops  and  Elders-,  and  he  fays, 
That  before  Factions,  by  the  inftincl  of  the  Devil,  be- 
gan in  Religion,  the  Churches  were  govern'd  by  the 
Common  Council  of  the  Pr lefts,  or  Elders.  Dr.  Pilkinton, 
Bifhop  of  Durefme,  in  his  Confutation  of  the  Addition, 
affirms,  That  the  Priviledges  and  Superiorities  which 
Bijhops  have  above  other  Minifters,  be  rather  granted  by 
Man  for  maintaining  of  Quietnefs  in  the  Commonvjealth, 
than  commanded  by  God  in  his  Word.  The  rare  Dr. 
Whitaker,  (n)  making  his  Remarks  on  Jerom's  Con- 
feffion,  That  the  Difference  between  Prejbyters  and 
Bijhops,  was  brought  in  by  Men  long  after  the  Apoftles, 
as  a  Remedy  againft  Schifm  -,  affures  us,  Hhat  it  is  a 
Remedy  worfe  than  the  Malady.  And  Bifhop  Morton 
(o)  tells  the  Papifts,  That  the  Power  of  Order  and  of 
Jurijaiofion  which  they  afcribe  to  Bijhops,  doth  De  Jure 
Divino,  belong  to  all  other  Prejbyters.  But,  that  I  may 
fuperfede  a  vail  Number  of  other  Quotations  to  this 
Purpofe,  let  it  fuffice,  That  the  excellent  Bifhop  Jewel 
delivers  this  not  as  his  private  Opinion,  but  as  the  lenfe 
of  the  Church  of  England :  (p)  c  In  Saint  Jeronih  time, 

*  (faith  he)  there  were  Metropolitans,  Arch-Bijloops,  and 

*  Arch-Deacons,  and  others ;    but  Chrift  appointed  not 

*  thefe  Diftinclions  of  Orders  from  the  Beginning.     This 

'is 

(m)  Alley's  Poor  Man 's  Library,  Tom.  i.  p.  95,  96. 
(0)  De  Ecclef.  Regim.  cont.  4.  q.  1.  §,  i£.  P»  540«  col.  2, 
(o)  ApoI.Catbol.  1.  1.  c.  il.  p.  ^s, 
lp)  Jfol,  Part  *,  ch,  5.  Div.  5. 


APPENDIX  179 

*  is  the  Thing  which  we  defend.  St.  Jerom  faith,  Let 
* Bijhops  underftand,  that  they  are  in  Authority  over 
c  Priefts,  more  by  Cuftom  than  by  Order  of  God's  Truth. 
6  Erafmus  fpeaking  of  the  Times  of  Jerom,  faith,  Id 
6  temporis  idem  erat   Epifcopus,  Sacerdos  &  Prejbyter  •, 

*  thefe  three  Names,  Bijhops,  Prieft,  and  Prejbyter  at 
8  that  Time  were  all  one  -,  and  unto  this  Teftimony  of 

*  Jerom,  the  Bijhop  adds  that  of  St.  Auftin,  That  the 

*  Office  of  a  Bijhop  is  above  the  Office  of  a  Prieft,  not 
c  by  Authority  of  the  Scripture,  but  after  the  Names  of 
'  Honour,  which  the  Cuftom  of  the  Church  hath  now 
'  ohtain'd.  Yea,  Archbilhop  Whitgift  himfelf,  fpeak- 
ing of  the  Government  of  the  Church  of  England  by 
Bijhops,  in  his  Time,  (q)  fays,    '  It  is  well  known,  that 

*  the  Manner  and  Form  of  Government  ufed  in  the 
6  Apoftles  Time,  and  exprefs'd  in  the  Scripture,  is  not 
'  now  obferv'd ;  but  hath  of  Neceffity  been  alter'd ; 
c  and  that  any  one  kind  of  external  Government  perpe- 
'  tually  to  be  obferv'd,  is  no  where  in  the  Scripture 
c  prefcrib'd  unto  the  Church,  but  the  Charge  thereof  is 
■  left  unto  the  Magiftratc.     'Neither  do  I  know  (faith  he) 

*  any  Learned  Man  of  a  contrary  Judgment. 

You  fee,  Sirs,  that  Cranmer  and  Jewel,  and  the 
Chief  of  the  Reformers,  are  as  good  as  Excommunicated 
by  the  New  Church  of  England  •,  but  you  will,  I  know, 
readily  receive  them  into  your  Communion,  and  may 
now  in  this  Point  value  your  felves,  as  being  of  the 
fame  Church  of  England  with  them.  Indeed  very  few 
of  the  Bijhops  themfelves  afferted  any  other  than  what 
you  afTert  about  this  Matter,  until  all  Things  were  to 
be  put  into  the  Hands  of  a  Party,  that  in  purfuance  of 
certain  fecret  Articles,  were  to  effect  an  Accommodation 
with  Rome ;  and  then  by  the  Jus  Divinwn  of  Prelacy, 
the  Power  of  Oppofition  muft  be  taken  out  of  the  Hands 
of  the  Inferiour  Clergy,  who  generally  abhorred  that 
vile  Befigtu    But  it  hath  ever  fincc  been  growing  upon 

A  a  2  the 


(q)  Tract,  17,  ch.  u  D19.  ** 


1S0  APPENDIX. 

the  Nation  :  (  * )  Tho'  I  am  informed  the  prefent 
Learned  Bifnop  of  Salifbury  hath  learnedly  and  couragi- 
oufly  appeared  on  your  Side  againft  it.  (+)  We  will 
then  pafs  to  another  Article,  viz.  That  of  your  DIS- 
CIPLINE, which  is  too  fevere  a  Thing  to  be  allow'd 
by  fome  that  would  be  offended,  if  you  mould  not 
aliow  them  to  be  the  only  Church  of  England.  It  will 
doubtlcfs  be  as  great  a  Satisfaction  as  Vindication,  for 
you  to  find  the  True  Church  of  England  approving  and 
applauding  that  very  Difcipline  which  is  in  your  Chur- 
ches pra&ifed  :  Now  we  all  know  what  the  Liturgy  of 
the  Church  of  England  requires  of  all  its  Communicants : 
c  Examine  your  Lives  and  Converfations  by  the   Rule 

*  of  God's  Commandment,  [Thefe  are  the  exprefs 
Words  in  the  Order  for  the  Adminift ration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper :]  c  And  whereinfoever  ye  fhall  perceive  your 

*  lelves  to  have  offended,  either  by   Will,  Word,  or 

*  Deed,  bewail  your  own  Sinfulnefs,  and  confefs   your 

*  felves  to  Almighty  God,   with  full  purpofe  of  amend- 

*  ment  of  Life.     And  if  ye  fhall  perceive  your  Offen- 

*  ces  to  be  fuch  as  are  not  only  againft  God,  but  alfo 
c  againft  your  Neighbours,  then  ye  fhall  reconcile  your 

*  ielves  unto  them.     If  any  of  you  be  a  Blafphemer  of 

*  God,  an  Hinderer,  or  Slanderer  of  his  Word,  an 
'  Adulterer,  or  be  in  Malice,  or  Envy,  or  any  other 

*  grievous  Crime,    repent   you  of  your  Sins,  or  dk 

*  come  not  unto  that  Holy  Table,  left  after  the  taking 
4  of  that  Holy  Sacrament,  the  Devil  enter  into  you  as 

*  he  entred  into  Judas,  and  bring  you  to  Defiruclion  both 

*  of  Body  and  Soul. 

Now,  my  Brethren,  all  the  firilTnefs  ufed  in  your 
Churches  about  the  Terms  and  Ways  of  admiflion  to  the 
Lord's  Table  with  you,  is  nothing  more  nor  lefs  but  a 
Trial  of  your  Communicants,  whether  they  have  thofe 
Qualifications  which  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  En- 
gland 

()  See  Def,  of  Mr    Henry  of  Schifm,  p.  $5. 
(t)  Vind.  ofihe  Church  of  Scotland,  p.  $o5<. 


APPENDIX.  i8r 

gland  hath  prefcrib'd.  Indeed,  in'  fome  of  your  Chur- 
ches the  Candidates  of  the  Communion  have  not  their 
Admijfon,  without  certain  Publick  Circumftances  of  ex- 
prefiing  their  Confent  unto  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  But 
this  is  no  more  than  what  I  find  the  more  pious  Divines 
in  the  Church  of  England  wifhing  and  writing  for. 
And  one  of  them  not  Seven  Years  ago,  hath  publifh'd 
his  Mind  in  thefe  Terms :  (r)  '  Would  it  not  very 
i  much  conduce  to  the  Honour  of  God,  and  the  Edifi- 
6  cation  of  the  People,  in  their  mod  holy  Faith,  if 
c  every  Perfon  baptized  into  the  Chnftian  Faith,  fhould 
'  be  oblig'd,  when  he  comes  to  Years  of  Difcretion, 
'  to  appear  in  the  Publick  Congregation,  there  to  make 

*  a  Confeffion  of  his  Faith,  to  recognize  his  Primitive 
c  Engagement,  to  avow  that  in  his  own  Perfon  which 
c  was  done  for  him  by  Proxy  •,  and  that  the  Minifter  of 
c  the  Conores-ation  fhould  recommend  the  Perfon  to 
'  the  Grace  of  God.  I  durfl  fay,  that  the  Uriel:  Chur- 
ches of  New-England  it  felf,  which  wifely  chufe  to  be 
as  explicit e  as  may  be,  in  managing  their  Church-mat- 
ters, do  not  afk  for  any  thing  more  than  what  this 
Learned  Son  of  the  Church  of  England  has  thus  pro- 
pounded. And  whereas  you  are  for  maintaining  a 
Godly  Difcipline  in  your  Churches  towards  thofe  who 
fcandaloufly  break  the  Laws  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift, 
is  this  any  more  than  the  very  Common-Prayer-Book  of 
the  Church  of  England  has  encourag'd  ?  You  know  that 
the  firft  Words  of  the  Commination  againft  Sinners  in. 
that  Book  are  thefe  :  '  Brethren,  in  the  Primitive  Church 
'  there  was  a  Godly  Difcipline,  that  fuch  Perfons  as  flood 

*  convicted  of  notorious  Sin,  were  put  unto  open  Pc- 
c  nance  3 —  inflead  whereof,  until  the  faid  Difcipline 
6  may  be  reftored  again,  which  is  much  to  be  wifhed,  \t 
c  is  thought  good  that  at  this  Time  mould  be  read  the. 
c  General  Sentences  of  God's  Curling  againft  impeni- 

*  tent  Sinners.     Now,  I  hope,  you  will  not  be  denied 

your 


(0  Snode ns  Plea  for  Abatement,  p.  41. 


181  APPENDIX. 

your  being  a  part  of  the  Church  of  England,  meerly 
becaufe  you  have  actually  Reftored  that  which  the 
Church  of  England  advifes  us,  //  were  much  to  be  wiped 
that  it  might  be  reftored.  I  believe  the  Churches  of 
New- England  it  Mf,  in  their  Platform  of  Church  Dif- 
cipline,  hath  not  a  more  fevere  Parfage  than  that  in  the 
Homilies  of  the  Church  of  England :  (s)  '  According  to 
*. the  Example  of  our  Saviour  Chrift,  and  the  Primi- 

*  tive  Church,  which  was  moil  holy  and  godly,  and  in 
4  the  which  due  Difcipline  with  feverity  was  againit  the 

*  wicked,  open  Offenders    were  not  admitted  unto  the 

*  ufe  of  the  Holy  Sacrament  with  other  true  Christians, 
c  until  they  had  done  open  Penance  before  the  whole 
c  Church :  And  this  was  practifed  not  only  upon  mean 
c  Perfons,  but  alfo  upon  the  Rich,  Noble,  and  Mighty. 
Behold,  Sirs,  your  Difcipline  is  by  the  Church  of  England 
it  felf,  called,  A  due  'Difcipline.  The  Church  of  England 
having  thus  allow'd  your  Difcipline,  I  hope  now  a  few 
CEREMONIES,  which  by  its  own  Confeffion  were 
never  Lift i tut ed  by  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  will  never 
be  counted  ib  EJfential  to  it,  that  for  the  want  thereof 
you  muft  be  call  out  of  Doors.  Believe  it,  Sirs,  an 
Houfe  built  meerly  upon  Ceremonies,  or  Parts  and  Means 
of  Worjhip,  not  Inftitnted  in  the  Sayings  of  our  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift,  will  doubtlefs  one  Day  fufrer  a  Storm 
wherein  it  will  Fall,  and  great  will  be  the  Fall  of  it, 
.But  that  for  your  aveifion  to  the  Uninftituicd  Ceremonies, 

gu  -.iay  have  as  clear  a  Direction  from  the  Church  cf 
Englan d  as  may  be,  I  defire  to  be  inform'd,  Whether 
the  Confeffion  of  Faith  in  an  hundred  Articles  on  the 
C  -eed,  compofed  by  Dr.  Hooper,  the  excellent  Bifhop 
of  Glocefter,  were  not  then  agreeable  to  the  fenfe  of  the 
Church  ?  Nov/  in  the  Eighty-fifth  of  theie  Articles  there 
j  •  is  remarkable  Paflage  :  '  "They  are  not  only  Idola- 
■  ten  which  worfhip  and  ferve  Idols,  and  ft  range  Gods, 
'  as  trie  Elhnicks,  and  lbch  like,  but  alio  all  thofe  that 


(s)  The  Second  F*U  of  ch:  ihmily  of  Tot  %*/  ufe  of  tht 

'Much.  


APPENDIX.  183 

4  worfhip  and  ferve  the  true  God  of  Heaven,  after  their 
«  own  Fantafie,  or  after  the  Traditions  of  Men,  without 
4  Faith,  without  the  Word  of  God,  and  otherwife  than 

*  God  hath  commanded  them.  This  is  indeed  a  terrible 
Pajfage  -,  and  it  is  the  Terrour  of  what  is  in  it,  that  hath 
made  you  to  be  what  you  are  :  But  it  is  none  of  you, 
'tis  a  very  Reverend  Bifhop  of  the  Church  of  England 
that  hath  written  it ;  and  in  the  fame  Confefjion  hath  he 
alfo  written,  '  That  upon  pain  of  deadly  Sin,  to  forbid 
l  and  command  Things  that  indeed  are  but  Indifferent, 
6  is  the  only  Note  and  Mark  by  which  to  know  Anti- 
\  cbrift.  Our  more  conformable  Friends  in  the  Church 
of  England  hear  not  you  calling  them  Idolaters^  and  yet 
they,  as  well  as  you,  will  own,  That  the  Surplice  made 
an  Appurtenance  of  Divine  Worfhip,  the  Crofs  in  Bap- 
tifm,  and  Kneeling  before  the  Eucharifi,  and  the  like, 
are  Things  introduced  in  the  Service  of  the  true  God  of 
Heaven,  after  their  own  Fantafie,  and  after  the  'Traditi- 
ons  of  Men,  and  without  the  Word  of  God,  and  other- 
wife than  God  hath  commanded.  If  therefore  you  decline 
fuch  Things,  the  Church  of  England  will  certainly  ex- 
cufe  you,  while  you  have  the  Confeffion  of  Faith  pub- 
lifh'd  by  its  own  Bifhops,  thus  charming  you  fo  to  dc  ; 
efpecially  fince  there  are  of  the  Bifhops  Dr.  Taylor  for 
one,  who  acknowledg'd,  That  the  Sign  of  the  Crofs , 
as  now  retain'd,  is  a  Part  of  external  Worfhip,  tho5  it 
be  an  Uninftituted  Ceremony.  The  Church  of  England, 
with  all  Proteftants^  will  grant  you,  That  all  Worfhip 
of  God,  not  appointed,  is  unlawful ;  and  that  no  Power 
on  Earth  can  add  any  Thing  to  the  Worfhip  of  God. 
Dr.  Sherlock  (/)  himfelf  will  grant   you,   '  That  fuch 

*  fignificant  Ceremonies  as  are  meerly  lor  Signification  in 
c  the  Chriftian  Religion,  do  only  obfcure  and  debafe3  and 
c  are  only  fit  for  the  Entertainment  of  Children.  And 
you,  finding  that  the  Ceremonies  now  ufed  by  the  Con- 
formable in  the  Church  of  England ,  are  ufed  and  urged 


ft)  Anfwcr  to  Trot.  Rtsoiciltr,  p,  51$, 


184  APPENDIX. 

as  direcl  Expreffions  of  the  reverence  of  the  Heart  unto 
God,  cannot  look  on  them  as  any  other  than  Parts  of 
external  Worjhip,  the  Invention  whereof  is  forbidden  in 
the  Second  Commandment.  Now,  if  you  are  deliver'd 
from  the  Yoke  of  thefe  unhappy  Ceremonies,  I  know 
not  why  you  mould  thereby  come  to  be  by  the  Church 
of  England  worfe  look'd  upon  than  the  moft  famous 
Divines  of  that  Churchy  who  in  their  beft  Writings  are 
flill  groaning  for  a  Deliverance.  Will  the  Church  of 
England  renounce  Bifhop  Bilfon  for  faying,  4  That  the 
'  Reformed  Churches  are  fo  far  from  admitting  the  full 

*  Dofe  of  the  Herefies  of  the  Papifts,  that  by  no  Means 
c  they  can  digeft  a  Dram  of  their  Ceremonies  ?  Will 
they  renounce  Dr.  Humphrey ',  for  fayihg,  fc  That  we 
6  ought  to  refufe  to  conform  unto  the  Enemies  of  God 

*  in  any  of  their  Ceremonies,  and   that  he  wifhed  and 

*  hoped  for  the  utter  abolifhing  of  all  the  Monuments 
6  of  Popifh   Superflition    which   yet   remain    in    our 

*  Church  ?  Will  they  renounce  Dr.  More,  for  faying, 
That,  'It  is  an  Antichrifiian  ufe  of  Church-Govern- 

*  ment,  to  direct  it  unto  the  upholding  of  Scandalous 
c  Ceremonies,  and  the  enfnaring  Inventions  of  Men  ?  A 
thoufand  more  fuch  PafTages  occur  in  the  Writings  of 
the  Divines,  who  have  all  along  been  reputed  the  Fa- 
thers of  the  Church  of  England,  iu)  Will  the  Church 
now  renounce  thefe  Divines  ?  Let  them  !  And  you,  my 
Brethren,  I  am  confident,  will  be  glad  of  their  Com- 
pany. But  I  fuppofe  there  is  another  Thing  that  a 
little  (tumbles  you  •,  and  that  is  this :  If  Conformity  to 
the  Ceremonies  be  neceffary  to  render  one  a  Church  of 
England  Man,  why  mould  not  Non-conformity  exclude 
one  as  well  as  another  from  that  Character  ?  Supra- 
conformity  is  no  lefs  Non-conformity  than  Subter-  confor- 
mity. Multitudes  in  England  continually  Go  beyond  the 
Rule  of  Conformity  •,  why  mould  not  thefe  be  Non-con- 
fonmfts  as  well  as  they  that  fall  Jhort  of  it  f  It  is  Enac- 
ted, 


&)  Sec  "a  Collection  in  Vtlaun'%  Plea  fgr  ihz  Non.confof  mifts. 


APPENDIX.  185- 

ted,  e  That  no  Form  or  Order  of  Common- Prayer, 
'  Adminiftration  of  Sacraments,  Rites,  Ceremonies, 
c  fhall  be  openly  ufed  in  any  Church,  Chapel,  or  other 

*  publick  Place,  of  or  in  any  Colledge  or  Hall,  in 

*  either  of  the  Univerfities,  the  Coliedges  of  Weftmin- 
c  fter,  Winchefter,  or  Eaton,  or  any  of  them,  other  than 
'  what  is  prefcribed  and  appointed  to  be  ufed  in  and 
c  by  the  Book  of  Coimnon-Prayer.  Now  in  that  Book, 
there  are  no  where  found  feveral  Ceremonies  now  prac- 
tifed,  nor  Orders  ufed  in  many  of  the  publick  Churches. 
Non-conformity  being  indeed  nothing  but  a  varying  from 
the  Rule  eftabliifi'd ;  the  Addition  made  by  fome  to 
that  Rule,  one  would  think  fhould  be  Non- conformity, 
as  well  as  the  Subftraclion  made  by  others :  And  the 
Churches  that  perform  the  Worfhip  of  Chrift  with 
Organs  be  Non-confor?nifis  as  well  as  they  that  omit  the 
Crofsy  and  fome  other  Superfluities.  I'll  only  touch 
upon  this  One  Inftance  inftead  of  many  ;  the  Kubrick 
requires,  That  the  Communiontable  mall  Hand  in  the 
Body  of  the  Church,  or  in  the  Chancel^  and  the  Prieft 
Jhall  ftand  at  the  North-fide  of  the  Table  •■>  lb  making  it 
a  Table  according  to  the  other  Churches  of  the  Refor- 
mation -,  ( which  accordingly  they  obferve  in  the  Temple, 
where  the  Law  is  beft  underftood  and  practifed  -,)  and 
yet  in  oppofition  to  Authority  in  moil  Places,  they  fet 
it  North  and  South,  clapping  it  unto  the  Wall  at  the 
Eaft-end  of  the  Church,  with  Rails  before  it,  as  if  ("ac- 
cording co  the  Church  of  Rome)  it  were  an  Altar.  This 
is  contrary  to  the  haw ;    and  I  have  read,  6  This  one 

*  Thing  may  well  be  thought  for  to  have  given  Encou- 

*  ragement  unto  the  Non-conf or  miffs  in  fome  other  Cafes. 
Briefly,  If  you  mtift  be  no  Part  of  the  Church  of  En- 
gland, becaufe  you  don't  kneel  at  the  Communion,  I  pray 
let  the  Prieft  who  does  not  ftand  where  by  the  Law  of 
Conformity  he  ought  to  ftand  at  the  Communion,  be  dif- 
•carded  alfo!  Tho'  furious  Bigots  for  Conformity  will 
give  no  Anfwer  but  Railing  to  all  of  this  Reofm  ;  yet 
you,  my  Brethren,  will  calmly  afford  a  reafonable  At- 

B  b  tendon 


tU  APPENDIX. 

tention  to  it.  But  you  muft  by  the  way  be  prevailed 
withal  to  ceafe  wondring  at  fuch  Contradictions.  If  they 
feem  wonderful  to  you,  you'll  find  continual  Matter  of 
Wonderment :  For  Inftance,  The  Scripture  commands 
us,  Be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  Strangers ;  but  the 
Apocrypha  contradicts  it,  Ecclef.  n.  34.  difluading  us 
from  Receiving  a  Stranger  into  our  Houfe.  The  Scrip- 
ture commands  us,  Love  your  Enemies,  do  good  to  them 
ihat  hate  you  ;  he  like  your  heavenly  Father,  who  makes 
the  Sun  to  rife  upon  the  evil  and  the  good  ;  but  the  Apo- 
crypha contradicts  it,  Ecclef  12.  4,  7.  Give  to  the 
godly  Man,  and  help  not  a  Sinner  -,  and  again,  Give  to 
the  Good,  and  help  not  the  Sinner.  No  Argument  could 
prevail  with  our  Unreformables  to  expunge  thefe  Lef- 
fons  ;  but  in  the  Month  of  Oclober  thefe  LefTons  of  the 
Apocrypha  muft  be  read  as  the  Dotlrines  of  the  Church 
of  England :  And  then  you  muft  fubfcribe,  That  no- 
thing is  ordain9 d  to  be  read,  but  the  very  pure  Words  of 
God,  or  that  which  is  agreeable  to  them.  An  abundance 
of  fuch  Contradictions  will  accoft  you,  in  that  which 
with  a  Contradiction  equal  to  the  reft,  would  be  call'd, 
The  only  Church  of  England. 

If  it  be  now  objected  againft  you,  That  the  Di/Jike 
of  the  COMMON-PRAYER  is  a  Thing  that  will 
utterly  debar  you  from  any  Part  in  the  Church  of  En- 
gland -,  it  will  be  no  Defence  for  you  to  plead,  That 
Old  King  James  himfelf,  a  great  Patron  to  the  Church 
of  England,  called  the  Co?nmon-  Prayer,  An  ill-faid  Mafs 
hi  Englifh  ;  for  he  was  yet  with  the  Kirk  of  Scotland 
when  he  fo  called  it.  But  you  may  defend  your  felves 
by  this,  That  feveral  Bifhops  in  the  Church  of  England, 
namely,  Williams,  Prideaux,  Brownrig,  Hacket,  with 
Arch-Bifhop  Ufher  in  the  Head  of  them,  diiliked  the 
Common- Prayer  fo  much,  as  to  prefent  unto  the  Englifh 
Parliament  no  lefs  than  Thirty-five  Exceptions  againft 
ieveral  Things  in  it,  calling  for  a  Refor?nation.  It  their 
Exceptions  did  not  forfeit  their  Claim  to  be  of  thfi 
Church,  why  fhould  yours  ? 

Per- 


APPENDIX.  187 

Perhaps  they'll  complain  of  you,  That  you  do  not  ufe 
the  LORD'S  PRAYER  as  a  Form.     If  they  do,  you 
may  ftop  the  Complaint,  by  citing  to  them  not  only 
an  Army  of  the  Ancients,  but  one  who  has  been  a  great 
Oracle  to  the  Church  of  England,  even  Grotius  himi'elf, 
declaring,  That  our  Lord  bound  not  his  Bifciples  to  the 
life  of  thofe  Words  and  Syllables.     If  he  did,  why  does 
the  Church  of  England  it  felf  prefume  to  alter  them?  In 
the  Common- Prayer-Book  the  Form  ftill   is,  Forgive  us 
our  Trefpajfes  as  we  forgive  them  that  Trefpafs  againft  us. 
The  Church  of  England  herein  varies  from  the  Words 
of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  :  In  Matthew  his  Words  are. 
Forgive  us  our  Debts   as  we  forgive  our  Debtors :  In 
Luke  his  Words  are,  Forgive  us  our  Sins,  for  we  forgive 
every  one  that  is  indebted  unto  us.     Why  muft  you  be 
tied  unto  a  Form  of  Words  ?    The  Church  of  England, 
even  when  moft  pretending  to  a  Form,  will  not  be  tied, 
even  to  That  for  which  there  is  the  moft  pretence.  The 
Infatuation  difcover'd  by  the  Common-Prayer  thus  al- 
tering the  Form  and  Phrafe  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  de- 
ferves  to  be  confider'd!    It  may  be,  when  you  have 
filenced  fome  of  thofe  froward  Children  in  Chriftianity\ 
from  infifting   on  all  their  other   Impertinencies,    they 
will  ftill    refufe  to  vifit  your  AfTemblies,  becaufe  the 
Houfes  wherein  you  hold  them,  are  not  fo  Fine  and 
Gay  as  many  of  their  publick  Churches.     But  you  may 
prefently  friew  them,  That  the  Gawdy  Trimmings  be- 
ftow'd  on  fome  of  their  Churches  are  directly  contrary 
to  the  Church  of  England.     For  the  Homily  againft  the 
Peril  of  Idolatry,  exprefly  declares  againft  the  Abufes 
of  Churches  and  Temples,  by  too  coftly  and  fumptuous 
decking  and  adorning  of  them,  (w) 

Thefe  and  fuch  Points  might  be  improv'd  much 
more  largely,  to  demonftrate,  That  you  are  indeed 
among  the  TRUEST  SONS  of  the  True  Church  of 
England ;  But  what  needs  any  more,  fince  'tis  a  Maxim, 

B  h  2  (and 

(w)  The  Third  Pare  of  the  Homfy  »gtir*ijt  th  Vmi  QfthlWfr 


iS8  APPENDIX. 

("and  there  is  no  need  of  quoting  Avicen  for  the  Maxim) 
Quicquid  fufh 'dentin  additur,  fuperfluitati  afcribitur  ?  All : 
that  you  will  now  demand  of  me,  is  to  defer ibe  clearly 
and  fairly  to  you,  What  is  that  NEW  CHURCH  of 
England  whereto  you  do  not  belong,  and  I  fuppofe,  are 
not  very  willing  to  belong  ?  'Tis  very  certain,  there  is 
a-  Party  in  the  Englijh  Nation  ufurping  the  Name  of 
the  Church  of  England,  whereto  it  will  be  as  little  your 
Honour  as  'tis  your  Dcfire  to  be  United ;  and  which  fas 
one  fays)  differs  as  much  from  the  OLD  CHURCH 
cf  England,  as  Nebuchadnezzar  grazing  among  Beafts 
in  the  Field,  from  Nebuchadnezzar  fitting  on  his  glit- 
tering Throne. 

Know  then,  my  Brethren,  That  by  a  prevailing  Fac- 
tion in  England,  the  Canon-Law  which  pretends  to 
Form  the  Church  of  England,  hath  been  more  than  once 
alter'd,  fince  the  Family  of  the  Stewarts  came  to  fit 
on  the  Throne  of  Great  Britain  ;  and  the  Alteration 
hath  now  made  a  New  Church  in  England  of  quite  ano- 
ther kind,  than  what  was  beiore.  There  is  now  efta- 
blifh'd  by  Law  a  National  Church,  which  the  Canons 
do  ((ho'  Arch-Bifhop  Whitgift  a  little  before  durft  not) 
affirm  to  be  a  True  and  Apoftolical  Church.  The  Bijh- 
ops,  which  before  then,  durft  as  well  have  eaten  Fire  as 
have  pretended  to  be  as  Diocefan  Bifijops,  any  other 
than  the  Ki)igys  Officers,  do  by  the  Canons  now  lay 
Claim  to  a  Divine  Right.  But  becaufe  it  puzzles  them 
to  make  the  King,  who  is  not  a  Perfon  in  Orders,  the 
Head  cf  the  Church,  having  thefe  Officers  under  him, 
and  yet  for  to  make  the  Arch-Bifhop  of  Canterbury  the 
Head  of  the  Church,  is  Treafon  -,  here  they  are  in  Con- 
fufion  :  And  I  fuppofe,  you  my  Brethren,  will  not  afk 
to  be  of  this  Church  till  you  fee  them  extricated  out  of 
this  Confufion.  To  proceed,  In  the  National  Church 
thus  eftablifiAl,  there  are  Twenty-fix  Diocefies,  which 
the  Canons  make  particular  Churches  of  the  loweff. 
Rank  \  and  tho*  there  be  luch  vail  Numbers  of  Pa~ 
rifhes  in  thefe  DioceJ/es,  the  Canons  have  utterly  divefted 

them 


APPENDIX,  189 

them  of  the  Character  of  particular  Churches,  whic1 
once  they  had  fomething  of,  and  they  make  no  more 
than  twenty-fix  Churches,  and  no  more  than  twenty-fix 
Paftors  in  the  whole  Kingdom  of  England.  The  Parifh- 
Preffiyters  are  by  the  Canons  altogether  ftrip'd  of  all 
Power  to  Ordain,  or  to  Confirm,  or  to  Excommunicate  •, 
tho'  once  there  was  a  Power  of  J-urifdiclion  conceded 
unto  them,  which  then  made  the  Old  Non-conformijls  to 
look  on  the  Parifh-Minifters  as  Paftors,  and  the  Pa- 
rifhes  as  retaining  the  Subftantials  of  -particular  Churches. 
You,  my  Brethren,  have  been  ready  to  fay  with  Dr. 
Goodwin,  '  In  fome  of  the  Parifhes  of  the  Kingdom, 
*  there  are  many  godly  Men  that  conftantly  give  up 
"  themfelves  unto  the  Worfhip  of  God  in  publick,  and 
'  meet  together  in  one  Place,  to  that  end,  in  a  conftant 
c  way,  under  a  godly  Miniftry  whom  they  themfelves 
c  have  chofen  to  cleave  unto,  ftho'  they  did  not  chufe 
c  him  at  firft ;)  thefe,  notwithstanding  their  mixture 
4  and  want  of  Difcipline,  I  never  thought,  for  my  part, 
'  but  they  were  true  C  hurches  of  Chrift.  But  now  the 
Diocefan  Church-Government  being  by  Canon  eftabliuYd, 
the  Parifhes  are  no  more  allow'd  any  of  them  to  be 
particular  Churches.  Arch-Bifhop  Laud  labouring  for  a 
full  Settlement  of  this  New  Church- State,  periftid  hi 
the  way :  But  upon  the  Reflauration  of  King  Charles 
II.  the  Labours  of  the  New  Set,  for  to  obtain  Laud's 
Model,  found  more  Succefs.  In  thofe  places  of  the 
Common-Prayer,  where  they  found  the  Word  \_Paftor] 
they  blotted  it  out,  and  put  in  Prieft,  or  Curate.  And 
in  the  New  Book  of  Ordering  Bifhops,  Prieft s,  and 
Beacons,  not  only  the  Execution  of  the  Office,  but  the 
very  Office  of  a  Prieft  is  taken  away  from  all  that  have 
not  Epifcopal  Ordination.  ■  The  Epiftles  and  Gofpels  to 
be  formerly  read  at  the  Ordination  of  Priefts,  which  re- 
ferred unto  the  Paftoral  Office,  are  now  to  be  read  only 
at  the  Confecration  of  a  Bifhop.  All  Prefbyterian  Ordi- 
nations were  declar'd  null  and  void  by  the  memorable 
Aul-  of  Uniformity,  and  they  that  had  no  move  were  pro- 

noune'd 


i9o  APPENDIX. 

nounc'd  as  naturally  Dead.  This  Diocefan  Church  of 
England,  according  to  Canon,  receives  to  Bapiifm  the 
Children  of  all  Parents,  (be  they  Jewijh  or  Pagan) 
that  are  brought  unto  the  Minifter.  And  every  Bap- 
tized Inhabitant  within  the  Diocefs,  if  he  be  not  Excom- 
municated, or  doth  fay,  That  he  heartily  defires  the 
Lord's  Supper,  is  admitted  unto  that  Sacrament  alfo,  if 
he  will  take  it  according  to  the  Form  in  the  Liturgy , 
(by  the  common  Cuftom  of  the  Church)  altho'  he  be 
never  lb  ungodly.  Whatever  Admonitions  the  Rubric 
or  Canons  do  give  againft  admitting  the  Wicked  unto 
the  Sacraments,  'tis  yet  abundantly  provided  in  them, 
That  the  Adminiftrator  fhall  be  uncapable  of  excluding 
the  wickedefl  alive.  But  at  the  fame  Time,  (x)  all 
thofe  who  refufe  to  Kneel  at  the  reception  of  the  Sacra- 
ment,  or  who  refufe  to  be  prefent  at  Publick  Prayers, 
according  to  the  Order  of  the  Church  of  England  ;  which 
Orders  be,  (y)  Reverently  to  Kneel,  when  the  General 
Lonfeffion,  Litany,  and  other  Prayers  are  read,  and  Stand 
up  at  the  faying  of  the  Belief,  and  Bow  at  the  Name  of 
Jefus^  and  Say  in  their  due  place,  and  audibly  with  the 
Minifter,  the  Confejfwn,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Creed, 
and  make  fuch  other  Anfwers  to  the  Publick  Prayers  as 
are  appointed  in  the  Book  of  Common-Prayer  -,  all  fuch 
a i  re  ufe  to  do  any  of  thefe  'Things,  are  to  be  denied  the 
Conwiunion ;  and  what  Minifter  foever  fhall  wittingly 
•  them,  he  is  liable  to  Sufpenfwn.  Yea,  whofoever 
lis,  That  the  Church  of  England,  as  by  Law  thus 
'ijh%  is  not  form'd  according  to  Divine  Inftitu- 
tion,  (or  Apcfiolical)  is  ipfo  fatlo  to  be  look'd  upon  as 
Excommunicated,  (z)  This  is  the  Roaring  of  the  Eccle- 
fiafticai  Canons,  and  the  Clergy  by  their  Oath  of  Ca- 
nonical Obedience,  are  fworn  to  obferve  thefe  as  well  as 
the  reft  of  the  Canons.     My  Brethren,  while  you   be- 


long 


(x)  Sec  Can.  27. 
(y)  See  Can.  18. 
(z)  Sec  Can.  3,  4,  6,  7, 


APPENDIX.  i9r 

long  to  the  CHRISTIAN    CHURCH   OF  EN- 
GLAND,   you   have  all   the   Reafon  imaginable  to 
hear  it,  and  bear  it,  and  own  it  patiently,  if  you  be 
told  that  you  do  not  belong  unto  this  DIOCESAN 
CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND.     For,  Firft,  If  I  be 
not    miftaken,    this     prefumptuous    CANONICAL 
CHURCH    OF    ENGLAND   has   Excommunicated 
the  beft  of  Princes,  (nctwithftanding  its  pretended  Loy- 
alty) if  they  do  but  offer  to  conteft  any   Part  of  its 
Conftitution  -,  and  it  will  be  no  Difhonour  unto  you  to 
be  partakers  with   fach  illuftrious  Heads,  in  fuffering 
thefe  Contradictions  of  Sinners.     Perhaps  you'll  be  fur- 
priz'd  at  this ;  but  if  any  Princes  or  Parliaments,  who 
declare,  That  they  who  cannot   ufe  the  Ceremonies  of 
the  Church  of  England,  may  be  Men  of  very  good  Con- 
fcience,  efcape  an  Excommunication  by  the  Sixth  Canon 
of  the  Church,  which  is,  Whofo ever  Jhall  hereafter  affirm* 
That  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  the  Church  of  England 
by  Law  eftabliflfd,  are  fuch  as  being  commanded  by  law- 
fid  Authority,  Men  who  are  zealoufly  and  godlily  affeMed* 
may  not  with  any  good  Confcience  approve  them,  ufe  them, 
or  fubfcribe  unto  them,  let  him  be  Excommunicated  ipfo 
faclo :  I  doubt  the  Eighth  Canon  bears  too  hard  upon 
them.     According   to  that,    Whofoever  Jhall  hereafter 
affirm  or  teach,  That  the  Form  and  Manner  of  making 
and  confecrating  Bi/hops,  Priefts,  or  Deacons,  containeth 
any  Thing  in  it  that  is  repugnant  unto  the  Word  of  God* 
let  them  be  Excommunicated  ipfo  facto,  and  not  be  re- 
jlor*d  until  he  repent,  and  publickly  revoke  fuch  his  wicked 
Error.     That  Form  does  affert,  That  Bifhops  and  Priefts 
are  diftinct  Orders  in  ChriJPs  Church  ;  and  that  it  is 
evident  unto  all  Men  diligently  reading  the  Holy   Scrip- 
tures, that  from  the  Apoftles  Time  they  have  been  ic\ 
Now  fuppofe  any  Princes  give  the  Royal  Ajfent  unto 
an  Acl  for  the  extirpation  of  Bijhops  in  one  of  the  Three 
Kingdoms ;  have  they  not  very  emphatically  Taught  us, 
That  this  Affertion  in  the  Form  of  confecrating  Bifhops 
end  Priefts^  is  not  according  to  the  Word  of  God  ?  H 

they 


192,  APPENDIX. 

they  not  very  fufficiently  affirm'd,  That  the  Word  of 
God  obliges  us  not  for  to  acknowledge  Bijhops  of  an 
Order  dijtincl  from  other  Minifters  in  the  Church  of 
Chrift  ?  We'll  fuppofe  they  have  fomewhere  or  other 
in  exprefs  Terms,  (a)  abolijtfd  Prelacy  and  Superiority 
in  any  Office  in  the  Church  above  Prejbyters ;  and  de- 
clar'd  and  ordain'd  the  (b)  Government  of  the  Church 
there,  by  Prejbyters  without  Bijhops,  to  be  the  only  true 
end  proper  Government  thereof.  I  am  certain,  this  is  to 
proclaim  it  with  a  witnefs,  That  the  Superiority  of 
Bijhops,  as  an  Order  above  Prejbyters,  is  not  Inftituted  in 
the  Word  of  God.  And  at  the  fame  Time  it  is  to 
maintain,  That  the  Doclrine  of  the  Form  of  making 
BiJJoops  and  Priefts,  which  afferts  that  Superiority  of  Or- 
der to  be  of  Divine  Right,  is  repugnant  unto  the  Word 
of  God.  Thefe  Princes  it  feems,  (which  indeed  I  abhor 
to  mention)  (land  excommunicated  ipfo  fatlo,  by  the 
Eighth  Canon  of  the  Church  of  England,  until  they 
repent  and  publickly  revoke  the  wicked  Errors  committed 
in  abolifhing  that  Prelacy. 

This  CANONICAL  CHURCH  continuing  to 
offer  fuch  Affronts  unto  Majefty,  you  may  well  de- 
cline to  be  any  Part  of  it,  until  they  repent  and  publickly 
revoke  their  wicked  Canons.  But  that  which  may  con- 
firm you  in  this  averfion  to  that  Church,  is  the  Wrong 
which  thofe  Canons  do  to  all  the  Minifters  of  the  Lord 
Jefus  Chriil  in  the  World.  For  according  to  them> 
none  of  the  Scotch,  or  Butch,  or  French  Minifters,  nor 
any  of  your  cwn,  are  true  Minifters  of  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift,  while  they  want  Epifcopal  Ordination.  Albeit, 
the  famous  Mr.  Selden  has  out  of  Eutychius  prov'd, 
That  not  only  Bijhops,  but  Patriarchs  themfelves,  were 
in  the  Primitive  Times  Ordain'd  by  Prejbyters-,  yet 
now,  foriboth,  according  to  our   New  Church,   none 

may 

I  -  -I  ii  Jti  _  -  ,  L  " 

(»)  They  are  the  exprefs  Words  of  the  M  alolijb'wg  Hrelacjt 
July  J.  1689. 

ft)  The  AS  ruling  PrtfyWy,  July  15,  168$. 


APPENDIX.  xp3 

may  be  own'd  for  fo  much  as  Prefbyters,  but  fuch  as 
have  been  Ordain9 d  by  Biocefan  Bijhops.  And  there- 
Fore,  altho'  this  Canonical  Church  will  admit  a  Popijh 
Prieft  upon  his  Abjuration,  to  be  a  Minifter  without 
Re-ordination,  it  will  not  without  Re-ordination,  admit 
any  of  thefe  who  are  the  bell  of  Proteftants.  Yea, 
and  when  this  Church  has  admitted  any  unto  its  Mir 
Tiiftry,  it  prefently  ft  rips  them  of  their  Rights  that 
are  effential  to  all  true  Minifter s  of  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift.  And  here  I  will  not  infift  on  this,  That  by 
the  Canons  of  this  Church,  its  own  Miniilers  have  not 
fo  much  as  Liberty  for  one  Occafional  Prayer  of  their 
own  left  unto  them.  All  the  Conformifts  are  by  the 
Tloirty-fixth  Canon  to  fubfcribe  ex  animo,  a  Covenant^ 
That  they  will  ufe  the  Form  in  the  Book  of  Common- 
Prayer,  pre/crib' d  in  Publick  Prayer  and  Adminiftration 
of  the  Sacraments,  and  NONE  OTHER.  Indeed  a 
Cuftom  for  Miniilers  to  pray  without  Book  in  the  Pulpit, 
is  conniv'd  atj  but  in  as  much  as  they  are  Publick 
Prayers,  I  know  others  befides  Mr.  Baxter,  who  doubt 
Jhem  to  be  a  Breach  of  the  Canon-Covenant.  I  pafs 
from  this,  to  fay,  I  fuppofe  you  are  dcfirous  to  ac- 
knowledge all  the  PariJh'PreJbyters  faithfully  feeding 
their  willing  Flocks  in  the  Realm,  notwithstanding  their 
Conformity  to  be  True  Minifter s  of  the  Gofpel ;  but 
their  own  Canons,  even  thofe  to  which  they  themfelves 
have  fworn,  do  all  they  can  to  forbid  your  doing  fo. 
For  you,  and  they  too,  muft  readily  own,  That  unto 
the  Office  of  a  Minifter  of  the  Gofpel,  here  are  two 
Things  EJfential,  namely,  Obligation  to  Teach,  and  Au- 
thority to  Rule  the  Flock.  Whereas  the  Canons,  what- 
ever they  require  in  fome  Claufes,  do  evidently  releafe 
the  Pariih-Minifter  from  Obligation  to  Teach,  by  pro- 
viding, That  the  Sacraments  are  not  to  be  refufed  at  the 
Hands  of  Unpreaching  Minifters.  And  the  whole  Au- 
thority to  Rule,  is  by  the  Canons  referv'd  unto  the 
BiJJjop,  to  be  executed  by  his  Lay-Chancellor ;  fo  that 
the  Pariftj-Minifter  cannot  exclude  the  veritd  bifida  in 

C  c  :  the 


194  APPENDIX. 

the  World  from  the  Sacraments,  if  a  certain  Lay- 
Chancellor  do  order  his  Reception.  Briefly,  No  Or- 
dain'd  Prieft  may  take  upon  him,  to  Expound  any 
Scripture,  or  Matter,  or  Dotlrine,  (or  do  any  more 
than  read)  fo  much  as  to  his  own  Family,  till  he  have  a 
Licenfe  from  his  Ordinary.  And  he  then  too  has  no 
more  Power  than  any  Lay-man  to  cenfure  an  Offender, 
or  to  judge  who  are  worthy  to  be  cenfur*d.  Tho*  the 
Rubric  and  Canon  do  feem  fometimes  to  favour  the 
Signijicancy  of  the  Curates,  yet  elfewhere  it  the  more  in- 
excufably  renders  them  utterly  Infignificant.  Doubtlefs 
you  will  wonder  how  that  the  Clergy  themfelves  can 
with  Patience  endure  to  be  fo  nullified,  as  they  are  by 
this  their  Canonical  Church,  or  to  fee  themfelves  more 
honour'd  by  you  that  are  Non-conformifts  than  they  are 
by  their  own  Canons !  But  you  are  fenfible  what  Force 
it  is  that  obliges  them  unto  their  Patience.  To  fee  the 
Minifters  of  the  Gofpel  fo  Degraded  as  they  are  by  the 
Canons,  gives  Offence  unto  you,  if  not  unto  them ;  and 
methinks  it  mould  be  no  Offence  unto  them,  that  you 
take  this  Offence  on  their  behalf. 

A  Third  Prejudice  that  you'll  eafily  take  up  againft 
this  CANONICAL  CHURCH,  is  the  Number  and 
Figure  of  thofe  many  other  good  Men,  (befides  Princes 
and  Parliaments)  whom  they  have  Excommunicated. 
This  Laodicean  Church  may  admire  her  own  Charity, 
(that  is  to  fay,  the  Eaftnefs  of  her  Bifcipline  as  well  as 
the  Opennefs  of  her  Communion  towards  the  word  of 
Men)  but  me  has  the  mod  Excommunicating  and  moil 
Anathematizing  Charity  that  ever  was  in  the  World, 
For  by  the  Canons  of  that  Church,  6  Whoever  mall 
4  affirm,  (c)  That  the  Church  of  England  by  Law  efta- 

*  blifh'd,  is  not  an  Jpoftolical  Church,  or  that  its  Wor- 
4  fhip  is  Corrupt,  or  that  any  of  the  39  Articles  are  in 

*  any  part  Erroneous,  or  that  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies 

*  of  the  Church  of  England  may  not  be  .ufed  with  a 


4gooi 


(c)  See  Can,  3,  4,  J,  69  7,  89 


APPENDIX.  19? 

c  good  Confcience,  or  that  the  Government  of  the 

*  Church  by  Arch-Bijhops,  Bijhops,  &c.  is  repugnant  to 
c  the  Word  of  God,  or  that  the  Form   or  Manner  of 

*  making  or  confecrating  of  Bijhops,  Priefts,  and  Deacons, 

*  containeth  any  thing  in  it  repugnant  to  the  Word  of 

*  God,  all  thefe  are  to  be  Excommunicated  ipfo  fafto. 
Now,  Sirs,  you'll  find  perhaps  the  bigger  Part  of  the 
godly  People  in  England,  even  among  the  Conformifts 
themfelves,  to  be  by  one  or  other  of  thefe  Claufes 
Excommunicated :  That  is  to  fay,  they  are  Excommuni* 
cated  out  of  the  CANONICAL  CHURCH  into  the 
CHRISTIAN  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND :  And 
I  hope  they  will  be  content  with  their  Condition,  and 
not  thruft  themfelves  upon  the  Party  that  has  Excom- 
municated them.  However,  that  you  may  be  fure  of 
being  driven  both  out  of,  and  into  the  fame  Church  with 
them,  hark  how  thefe  Canons  do  further  Thunder !  (d) 
c  Whofoever  mall  maintain,  That  there  are  within  the 

*  Realm  [and  Note  by  the  way,  That  all  the  Englijh 
Plantations,  particularly  Barbadoes,  Jamaica,  Bermudas, 
New-England,  New-York,  Virginia,  Carolina,  all  which 
have  Non-conformifi  Meetings  in  them,  do  belong  to  the 
Ecclefiajlical  Realm  of  England,  as  being  Part  of  the 
Bifhop  of  London's  Diocefs  *,]  '  other  Meetings,  AfTem- 

*  blies,  or  Congregations  of  the  King's-born  Subjects, 

*  than  fuch  as  by  the  Law  of  the  Land  are  held  and 

*  allowed,  which  may  rightly  challenge  to  themfelves 
6  the  Name  of  true  and  lawful  Churches,  let  them  be 
'  Excommunicated,  and  not  reftored  but  by  the  Arch- 
'  Bifhop,  after  Repentance  and  Publick  Revocation  of 

*  fuch  their  wicked  Errors.  You  fee,  Sirs,  that  either 
you  are  that  Church  of  England  which  the  Law  holds 
and  allows,  or  elfe  you  (land  Excommunicated  But  I 
allure  my  felf,  you  are  not  ambitious  to  be  reckon'd 
of  that  Party  which  has  Excommunicated  all  the  Con*- 
gregations  of  the  Non-conformifts.     Nor  will  it  bring 

C  c  2  you 

(d)  See  Cap,  tu 


196  APPENDI  X. 

you  under  the  Brand  of  Schifmaticks,  if  being  thus  Ex- 
communicated ipfo  faffo,  you  fettle  your  felves  in  the 
Communion  of  Churches  that  will  receive  you.  And 
this  the  rather,  left  you  mould  be  found  in  the  TREA- 
SONABLE PLOT,  whereof  the  famous  Mr.  Baxter 
among  others,  has  convicted  that  Party,  namely,  That 
of  attempting  a  Revolt  unto  a  Foreign  Jurifditlion. 
Albeit  the  Canons  of  the  Church,  (and  the  Articles  alfo) 
whereto  thefe  Men  are  /worn,  do  mod  expreily  re- 
nounce all  fuch  Foreign  Jurifdiclion ;  yet  fuch  is  the 
Confufion  whereinto  the  perfidious  Builders  of  Babel  run 
them  felves,  that  according  to  the  New  Church  of  En- 
gland, (e)  '  The  Colledge  of  Bi/hopi  through  all  the 
4  World,  are  the  Supream,  Univerfal,  Vifible   Sove- 

*  reign  of  the  Catholick  Church,  having  Power  of  Uni- 

*  verfal  Government ;  That  they   are  to  exercife  it  in 

*  General  Councils,    where  every  Bifhop  is  by  Office 

*  the  Reprefentative  of  his  Diocefan  Church  •,  That  thefe 
c  Bifhops  are  to  have  Metropolitans  and  Patriarchs,  and 

*  the  Pope  of  Rome  is  to  be  their  Uniting  Head,  and  ex 
c  officio  the  Prefident  of  the  Councils  •,  That  in  the  Inter- 

*  vals  of  thefe  Councils,  they  are  per  literas  formatas,  to 
4  exercife  their  Power  over  all  the   World  -,  That  all 

*  that  will  not  unite  with  the  Church  of  Rome,  (which 
4  is  to  be  diftinguifh'd  from  the  Court  of  Rome)  on 
4  thefe  Terms,  are  Schifmaticks  -,  but  they  that  will,  are 
4  no  Papifts  -,  none  being  Patifts  but  they  that  are  for 
4  the  Pope's  ahfolute  Power  above  Canons  or  Councils ; 
4  That  the  Church  of  Rome  is  a  true  Church,  and  if  it 
4  will  not  impofe  the  Innovations  of  the  lad  Four  Hun- 
4  dred  Years,  it  may  be  united  with  *,  but  the  Proteflant 
4  Churches,  which  are  deftitute  of  Diocefan  Bijhops,  are 
4  no  true  Churches,  nor  their  Paftors  true  Mimfiers,  nor 
4  have  they  any  true  Sacraments,  nor  Covenant-Pro- 
4  mile  of  Salvation.  Of 

(i-)  See  Mi.  B.ixiet's  true  Hi^ory  of  Councils  defended,  p. 
lp.  Ai  d  Ins  whole  Book,  Jgnrjl  Revolt  unto  a  Foreign  Jum 
tifdifiion,  dedicated  unto  the  iate  A-  B.  oi  Canterbury. 


APPENDIX.  io7 

OF  fuch  a  Church  as  this,  methinks  I  hear  you,  and 
the  bigger  and  better  Part  of  your  Brethren,  yet  groan- 
ing under  the  Shackles  of  Conformity,  refolve,  Come  not 
into  their  Secret,  O  my  Soul!  unto  their  Affemhly,  my 
Tongue,  be  not  thou  united !    The  moil:  flourilhing  and 
glorious  IJland  in  the  World,  will  be  in  perpetual  Dan- 
ger of  becoming  a  French  Province,  except  the  Non- 
conformifts  be  counted   better   Parts  of  the  Church  of 
England,  than  the  Men  of  fuch  dangerous  Principles ; 
and  except  the  Sacramental  TEST  be  therefore  taken 
off.    But  there  is  the  True  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 
of  England,  which  would  have  the  Reformation  of  Re- 
ligion carried  on  according  to  the  Direction  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  and  the  Intention  of  the  firft  Reformers,  and 
counts  not  Chrifiianity  to  lye  in  vain  Ceremony  ;  which 
looks  on  Diocefan  Bifhops  as  made  fuch  by  the  King  and 
the  National  Church-Government,   as   an  human,  tho' 
fome  fay  ufeful  Policy  ;   which  owns  the  reft   of  the 
found  Proteftants  in  the  World  for  Brethren,  and  would 
have  the  Qualifications  for  the  Paftoral  Office,  and  for 
Communion  in  fpecial  Ordinances,  to  be  no  other  than 
what  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  hath  inflituted ;  which,  in 
fine,  is  againit  bringing  a  Yoke  of  Slavery  upon  the 
brave  Engiifh  Nation  in  Spirituals  or  Temporals.     And 
of  this  Church  ye  are.     God,  and  the   King,  and  the 
Parliament,  and  all  fober  Men,  will  reckon  you  a  valu- 
able Part  of  this  Church ;  while  a  certain  Hectoring  fort 
of  People  in  the  World,    that  would  be  thought  the 
only  Church  of  England,  deferve  to  be  counted  rather 
the  Wens,  than  any  Parts  of  it,  and  indeed  know  not 
what  it  is.     I  befeech  you,  Sirs,  let  not  the  CHURCH 
OF  ENGLAND  become  a  Name  of  fuch  a  Treafon- 
able  Importance,  that  it  muft  belong  to  none  but  that 
Faction,  whofe  Religion  lyes  in  Sainting  their  Martyr 
Charles   I.    whofe    Reign  was  fpent    in  an  unnatural 
Manner,  plotting  and  contriving  to   under  mine  and  fub- 
vert  the  Religion,  Laws}  and  Liberties  of  the  Engiifh 


i98  APPENDIX. 

Nation ;  (h)  and  who  notwithftanding  the  Sham  oF  the 
Icon  Bajtlike,  it's  fear*d  would  have  been  another  John 
Bafilovitz,  if  he  had  profpered  in  his  unnatural  War 
againft  the  Parliament, 

And  now,  my  Brethren,  if  any  go  to  feduce  you 
from  your  own  REFORMED  CONGREGATI- 
ONS into  the  more  CEREMONIOUS  ASSEM- 
BLIES in  the  Church  of  England,  you  are  furniuYd 
with  an  Anfwer.  Let  your  Anfwer  be,  That  you  are 
of  the  Church  of  England,  and  that  you  cannot  better 
exprefs  your  being  fo,  than  by  keeping  with  your  own 
REFORMED  CONGREGATIONS.  IftheBifhop 
of  London  mould  be  offended  at  the  Governours  of 
Barbadoes,  or  Bermudas,  or  Carolina,  for  worfhipping 
of  God  in  the  Meetings  of  the  Non-conformifts  there, 
die  Gentlemen  may  truly  fay  in  their  Defence,  That 
they  worfhipped  God  with  the  truefi  Part  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  thofe  Parts  of  America. 

Be  advifed,  my  Brethren,  to  carry  it  with  all  pofiible 
Moderation  and  Civility  towards  thofe  that  can  conform 
unto  Ceremonies  farther  than  you  ;  Be  gentle  unto  all 
Men.  But  yet  continue  ftedfaft  in  your  prefent  Non- 
conformity. The  Day  is  at  Hand  that  will  juftify  your 
Siedfaflnef.  Even  at  this  Day,  the  moft  Conformable 
themfelves  confefs,  That  the  Rites  whereto  you  are 
Non-conformijls,  are  indifferent  Things,  and  the  Worfhip 
of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  is  as  well  without  them  as 
with  them.  Why  mould  you  then  add  thofe  Rites, 
which  in  your  Confciences  are  not  fo  indifferent  as  the 
Confeffion  of  the  Conformable  would  render  them,  and 
which  will  defile  your  Wcrjlnp  ?  Even  Bifhop  Sander- 
[on  himfelf  exprefly  fays,  If  any  Man  Jhall  life  them 
with  an  Opinion,  as  if  God's  Service  could  not  be  rightly 
perform9 d  without  them,  doubtlefs  the  Ufe  of  fuch  Cere- 
monies by  Re.afon  of  fuch  his  Opinion,  would be  fuperfiitious 

unto 


(h)  [The  Wotdsof  the  Earl  of  Bclismontt  in  a  Speech  to  4 
Cstnaal  Aflfembiy] 


APPENDIX  199 

unto  him.  Thus  by  the  Confeffion  of  the  Conformable* 
you  are  well  as  you  are.  Know  when  you  are  well. 
More  Conformity  won't  make  you  letter.  And  if  the 
Rites  are  fo  Indifferent,  why  Ihould  thofe  that  urge 
them  for  the  fake  thereof,  make  a  Difference  ?  Let  them 
return  unto  you ;  there  is  no  Caufe  why  you  Jhould  go 
over  unto  them.  Reafon  and  Juftice  will  one  Day  take 
place :  The  Day  foretold  by  the  Bijhop  of  JVorcejler 
before  he  was  a  Bijhop,  c  God  will  one  Day  convince 
c  Men,  That  the  Unity  of  the  Church  lyes  more  in  the 
4  Unity  of  Faith  and  Affection,  than  in  the  Uniformity 
*  of  doubtful  Rites  and  Ceremonies  (i).  You  will  then 
be  own'd  in  the  Church  of  England  ,  yea,  the  Partition- 
Wall  between  j0#  and  all  the  other  fmcere  Protejiants 
in  the  Englijh  Nation,  will  be  taken  down. 


.%  •%  A  &  *  •&  A  -%  *  A  A  ?  H  $$$!$  A  .£•  A  A  .$• 


Part 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  f^^^^ff: 


(i)  StiUivg fleet'*  2m*  p.  nr 


aoo  APPENDIX. 

Part  the  fourth  and  laft,  containing 
fome  faithful  Tejtimonies  to  the  Caufe 
and  Wor^  of  GOD  in  the  New-Englifh 
Churches. 

Number  I. 

The  Great  END  and  INTEREST  of 
NEW-ENGLAND,  Stated  by  the 
Memorable  Mr.  JONATHAN 
MITCHEL,  Extracted  from  an  In- 
ftrument  of  His,  which  bears  Date,, 
Decemb.  31.  1662. 

ryiHE  CAUSE  of  the  People  of  GOD  in  New- 
X      England,  is,   RELIGION;    That  is,  the 
Profeffion  and  Practice  of  the  Truths  and  Rules  of  the 
Word  of  GOD. 

As,  1  King.  VIII.  5$,  59.  That  He  may  incline  our 
Hearts  unto  Him,  to  walk  in  ALL  HIS  WATS,  and 
i.o  keep  His  Commandments,  and  His  Statutes,   and  His 

'Judgments,  which  He  commanded  our  Fathers, The 

CAUSE  of  His  People  Ifrael  at  all  Times. 

More  particularly,  REFORMATION  of  RELI- 
GION* There  was  Religion  in  the  Places  whence  we 
came.  But  New-England's  Defign  in  this  vaft 
Undertaking  was  REFORMATION  ;  that  is,  The 
avoiding  of  feme  fpecial  Corruptions,  and  the  vigorous 
and  more  Exact  Profeffion  and  Practice  of  the  contrary- 
Truth's  and  Rules,  according  to  Scripture-Pattern. 

Hence, 


APPENDIX.  iot 

Hence,  Our  Caufe  is  not  Separation  from  any  thing 
Good  in  other  Churches ;  ..whether  Truth  of  Church- 
State,  or  any  Doctrine  rightly  profeflfed,  or  Ordinance 
rightly  adminiftred  in  them. 

But  it  is  REFORMATION,  only  of  what  was 
Amifs  or  Defective  in  the  Churches  we  came  from. 

Yet  more  Specially  \  if  it  be  afk'd,  what  REFOR- 
MATION ?  Or,  what  Particular  we  are  here  to  feek 
and  fct  up  REFORMATION  in  ?  I  folly  clofe  with 
Mr.  Hooker's  Difcourfe,  in  his  Preface  before,  Survey 
of  Church-Difcipline ;  That  as  the  Prophetical  and  Prieft- 
h  Office  of  CHRIST,  was  compleatly  Vindicated  in 
the  Firft  Times  of  Reformation,  fo  now  the  Great 
CAUSE  and  WORK  of  GOD's  Reforming  People* 
is,  to  Clear  the  Rights  of  CHRIST'S  Kingly  Office, 
and  in  their  Pratlice  to  fet  up  PI  is  Kingdom. 

The  KINGDOM  of  CHRIST,  tho'  it  be  now  difc 

tailed  as  a  Fanatic  Notion  ■ by  the  Prophanenefs  of 

Mens  Hearts,  which  is  ready  to  catch  at  any  Occafion, 
to  blemifh  it,  and  to  rife  up  in  Rage  againft  the  In- 
tereft  thereof:  [Pfal.  II.  j,  3,  6.1  Yet  the  True 
KINGDOM  of  CHRIST,  (as  the  Scripture  Rates  it; 
is  Glorious,  and  Divine,  and  that  for  which  GOD  will 
Overturn,  Overturn,  Overturn,  until  it  be  Erected  in 
its  Glory  -,  and  Clay  Men  what  they  will  J  I  will  flill 
Pray,  *thy  Kingdom  Come. 

The  KINGDOM  of  CPIRIST  is,  in  general,  no- 
thing elfe  but  "The  Flourijhing  of  RELIGION,  Or  that 
whereby  the  WORD  of  CHRIST  in  the  SCRIP- 
TURE, (which  is  called  the  Word  of  the  Kingdom,)  is 
fully  fobmitted  to.  In  a  Word,  Then  ftis  Kingdom 
Comes  in  its  Glory,  when  the  Will  of  GOD  is  done  on 
Earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven :  And  fo  far  that  Kingdo?7t 
Comes,  as  this  Will  is  done. 

The  KINGDOM  of  CHRIST,  or  the  Reception 
and  Ereding  thereof,  is  more  Inward  and  T'evjbnal,  in 
the  Hearts  and  particular  Convolutions  of  M.;n ;  more 
Outward  and  PubUck  in  BoeiUm 

D  d  The 


20i  APPENDIX. 

The  Former  is,  when  any  Perfons  are  Converted,  and 
help'd  to  Walk  in  New- Obedience  •,  tho'  they  be  never 
fo  Few  and  Obfcure.  Thus  CHRIST  has  always  had 
a  KINGDOM  on  Earth.  And  when  this  reaches  unto 
Many,  it  cannot  but  become  Vifible,  in  one  Degree  or 
other,  and  fo  Infeparable  from  the  Latter.  Hence  the 
General  Converfion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  will  be  the 
Inlet  of  the  Greater!  Glory  of  CHRIST'S  Kingdom  on 
Earth.  Hence  alfo,  CHRIST  has  always  had  a  King- 
dom in  fome  Degree  Vifible  in  fome  Societies  of  Men ; 
tho'  fometimes  very  Thin,  Low  and  Obfcure,  and  kept 
under  by  Corruptions  and  Perfecutions. 

The  Latter  Erecting  of  CHRIST'S  Kingdom  in 
whole  Societies,  ("whereby  CHRIST  is  feen  Ruling  all 
in  a  Confpicuous  and  open,  in  a  prevailing  and  peace- 
able manner,)  was  OUR  DESIGN  and  is  OUR  IN- 
TEREST  in  this  Country :  tho'  with  Refpecl  to  the 
Inward  and  Invifible  KINGDOM,  as  the  Scope  there- 
of. The  Public  fetting  up  of  CHRIST'S  Kingdom, 
and  Enjoyment  of  thofe  Ordinances  and  Ways  of  His, 
which  can  only  be  enjoy 'd  in  whole  Societies,  and  that 
with  Purity  and  Liberty,  was  OUR  END  in  coming 
hither.  And  this  alfo  is  CHRIST'S  Defign  in  thefe 
Latter  Days}  To  fet  up  His  Kingdom,  in  a  Public 
and  Openly  prevailing  manner,  in  all  the  Parts  and 
Ways  thereof. 

In  the  Church,  CHRIST'S  Kingdom  is  clearly  and 
glorioufly  fet  up,  when  ONLY  and  ALL  His  Infiitu- 
tions,  both  in  Worfloip  and  Bifcipline  are  attended  and 
obferved  in  their  Purity  and  Power,  according  to  Scrip- 
ture Pattern.  [Mat.  XXVIII.  18,  23.]  THIS  is, 
the  Great  CAUSE  and  Intereft  of  GOD's  People  in 
this  Country,  and  was  the  Great  END  of  their  Under- 
taking, and  hath  been  the  great  Matter  of  this  TESTI- 
MONY, in  their  Synodical  Atts,  and  other  Writings 
Publifhed  unto  the  World. 

Hence  our  Great  DUTY  is  to  keep  and  feel  all  the 
Commandment  $  of  GOD,   [p  Chron.  XXVIII.  8.  J  in 

that 


APPENDIX.  203 

that  refpect ;  that  is,  all  the  Inftitutions  and  Ordinances 
of  His  Houfe  ;  To  hold  faft  what  we  have  attained, 
that  is  according  to  Scripture- Pattern  therein,  and  to 
come  up  unto  what  we  yet  want  or  are  defective  in. 

Hence  alio  thofe  among  us,  that  defire  to  fet  up  in 
this  Country,  any  of  the  Ways  of  Men's  Invention  fas, 
Prelacy ',  Hinted  Liturgies,  Humane  Ceremonies  in  Wor- 
fhip,)  they  will  bid  Defiance  to  the  CAUSE  and  In- 
tereft  of  Christ  and  of  His  People,  in  thefe  Ends  of 
the  Earth ;  and  will  (I  perfwade  my  felf )  but  lay 
them/elves  as  Potters  Veffels  under  the  Iron  Rod.  For, 
CHRIST,  who  has  taken  this  poffeffion  of  thefe  uttermofi 
parts  of  the  Earth,  will  not  Endure  it.  Let  us  Go 
forward  to  any  of  thofe  Things  of  CHRIST,  that  we 
are  wanting  in.  But  to  Go  backward  unto  thofe  Things 
which  we  know,  and  have  openly  Teftified  [Platform, 
c.  1.  and  c.  7.  Sect.  6.]  to  be  not  of  GOD,  and 
which  we  departed  from,  will  be  fuch  a  Wickednefs  as 
the  Lord's  Jealousy  will  not  bear  withal. 

Our  Work  is  not  only  to  depart  from  Mens  Liven* 
tions,  but  to  fet  up  All  [ALU]  GOD's  Inftitutions  in 
their  Beauty  and  Power ;  that  we  may  Exhibit  a  clear 
and  complete  Copy  thereof  before  the  World  ;  and  that 
we  and  ours  may  have  that  full  Enjoyment  of  GOD, 
in  all  His  Ordinances,  that  we  came  hither  for. 

In  the  Common  Wealth  CHRIST'S  Kingdom  is  fet  up, 
when  all  Things  therein  are  fo  ordered,  (Laws  and  all 
Civil  Adminift  rations)  as  doth  moft  fitly  and  effectually 
tend  to  advance,  promote,  and  maintain  Religion  and 
Reformation. 

Let  us  faithfully  cleave  to  the  Whole  Interest 
and  Kingdom  of  Christ,  and  He  can  make  us  a 
Burdenfome  Stone  to  all  Oppofers,  as  He  has  done  hi- 
therto, [Zech.  XII.  3,  5.  Ban.  II.  44,  45.  Matth, 
XXI.  44.  Ifa.  LIV.  17.]  and  make  Good  to  us,  His 
Promife  to  Philadelphia  \  To  keep  our  Door  open,  and 
to  preferve  us  in  the  Hour  of  Temptation  that  is  upon 
all  the  World, 

D  d  z  Nynv 


ao4  APPENDIX. 

Number  II. 

The  CAUSE  of  GOD,  and  His  People 
in  New-England  j  Stated  in  a  SER- 
MON of  the  Memorable  Mr.  JOHN 
H1GGINS0N,    unto    the   General 

Court  of  the  ^affadjufctts^Co- 

lonp,  May  27*  1663, 

[On  1  King.  VIII.  sj,  5S,  59.] 

6  npHE  CAUSE  of  GOD  and  His  People  among 

1       '  us,  is,  The  Caufe  of  RELIGION.  —  That 

c  every  Thing  in  Doctrine,  Worfhip,  and  Difcipline^ 

<  be  Conformed  to  and  Regulated  by,  the  Rule  of  the 

<  WORD. 

*  When  the  Lord  ftirred  up  the  Spirits  of  fo  many 
jj  of  His  People  to  come  over  into  this  Wildernefs,  it 
c  was  not  for  Worldly  Wealth,  or  a  better  Livelihood 

*  for  the  Outward  Man.  The  Generality  of  the  People 
c  that  came  over,  profefs'd  the  contrary  ;    Nor  had  we 

*  any  Rational  Grounds  to  expect  fuch  a  Thing  in  fuch 
c  a  Wildernefs.      Tho*  GOD  hath    bleffed  His    poor 

*  People  here,  and  there  are  that  have  increafed  here, 
c  from  fmall  Beginnings  to  great  Eftatcs  ;  That  the 
c  Lord  may  call  this  whole  Generation  to  witnefs.  — ■ 
c  O  Generation  fee  f  Look  upon  your  Towns  and 
c  Fields,  Look  upon  your  Habitations  and  Shops,   and 

*  Ships,  and  behold  your  Numerous  Pcvterity,  and 
?  Great  Lcreale  in  the  BlerTings  of  the  Land  and  Sea; 
fc  Have  I  Men  &  WMer.nejl  unto  you  ?  We  muft  needs 
'  anfwer,  No,  Lord,  I'bcu  Jxift  been  a  Gracious  GQD> 
c  and  Exceeding  Good  unto  thy  Servants,  even  in  tbefi 
c  Earthly  Bleffings  i    we   Ike  in   a  more  Plentiful  and 

1  Com- 


APPENDIX.  20^ 

4  Comfortable  manner  than  ever  we  did  expect,  But  thefc 
4  are  but  Additions  ;  they  are  but  Additional  Mercies  ; 
4  It  was  Another  and  Better  Thing,  that  we  followed 
\  the  Lord  into  ike  Wildemefs  for.  This  is  never  to  be 
4  forgotten,  That  New-  England  is  Originally  a  Planta- 
4  tion  of  Religion.  And  if  any  Man  amongft  us,  make 
4  Religion  as  Twelve,  and  the  World  as  Thirteen,  Let 
4  inch  an  One  know,  he  hath  neither  the  Spirit  of  a 
1  True  New- England  Man,  nor  yet  of  a  Sincere  Chrif- 
4  tian. 

"4  And  the  Caufe  is  not  Separation  from  any  thing 
4  Good  in  other  Churches.  The  End  of  our  Coming 
4  hither  was  a  Reformation  only  of  what  was  Amifs  cr 
4  Defective  in  the  Churches  we  came  from.  We  diftin- 
4  guifh  between  the  Corruptions  and  Diforders  of  Chur- 
4  ches,  and  the  Churches  themfeives.  So  much  for  the 
Negative. 

Now  for  the  Affirmative.  c  If  my  weaknefs  was 
4  able  to  fh.ew,  v/hat  the  Caufe  of  GOD  and  His  Peo- 
4  pie  in  New-England  is,  according  to  its  Divine  Ori- 
4  ginal  and  Native  Beauty,  it  would  dazzle  the  Eyes  of 
4  Angels,  daunt  the  Hearts  of  Devils,  ra villi  and  chain 
4  fail  the  Affections  of  all  the  Saints. 

4  Firft,  This  was  and  is  our  CAUSE,  that  CHRIST 
4  alone  might  be  acknowledged  by  us,  as  the  only 
4  Head,  Lord,  and  Lawgiver  in  His  Church ;  That 
4  His  Written  Word  might  be  acknowledged  as  the 
4  Only  Rule ;  That  Only  and  All  His  Inftitutions  might 
c  be  obferved,  and  Enjoyed  by  us,  and  that  with  Purity 
4  and  Liberty,  with  Peace  and  Power. 

c  Secondly,  I  conceive  our  CAUSE  is  not  barely  a 
c  Reformation,  but  a  Progress  in  Reformation-,  To 
4  go  on  unto  Perfection.  A  conceit  of  having  already 
c  attain'd  a  Per  feci  Reformation,  mould  be  far  from  us. 
c  —  Our  Fathers  fled  into  this  Wilder  nefs  from  the  face 
1  of  a  Lording  Epifcopac\\  and  Humane  Injunclions  in  the 
'  '  Worfhip  of  GOD.  Now,  if  any  of  us  their  Chil- 
6  dren  mould  yield  unto,  or  be  Inftruniental  to  kt  up 


zo6  APPENDIX. 

c  in  this  Country,  any  of  the  Ways  of  Men's  Invention, 
f  fuch  as  Prelacy,  impofed  Liturgies,  Humane  Cere- 
c  monies  in  the  Worfhip  of  GOD,  or  to  admit  Ignorant 
c  and  Scandalous  Perfons  to  the  Lord's  Table ;  This 
4  would  be  a  Backfliding  indeed !  It  would  be  a  Back- 
4  Hiding  to  the  Things  which  we  and  our  Fathers  have 
c  departed  from,  and  have  openly  teftified  againft,  to 
c  be  not  of  GOD. 

*  Thirdly,  The  Union  of  Reformers  belongs  unto  this 
c  CAUSE ;    For   there   is  not    any   one  Duty  more 

<  prefs'd  by  our  Saviour  CHRIST  and  His  Apoftles, 

*  than  this  of  an  holy  and  clofe  Union  among  thofe 
c  that  profefs  His  Name,  The  beft  of  Men  may  err  j 
c  and  there  being  divers  Meafures  of  Light  and  Grace, 
'  there  cannot  but  be  Different  Apprehenfwns  in  fome 
c  Things :  And  therefore,  where  there  is  not  fo  full  an 

*  Agreement  as  is  to  be  defired,  it  is  our  Duty  to 
c  forbear  one  another  in  Love,  Endeavouring  to  keep  the 

<  Unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  Bond  of  Peace. 

'This  is  the  Chief  Inter  eft  of  New-England; 
'  the  Matter  of  greateft  Importance  in  itfelf,  and  of 
'  greateft  Concernment  unto  us.  Whatever  may  be 
'  faid  of  our  Inter  eft  in  other  refpecls,  yet  v/e  may  be 

*  Ibre  of  This,  that  here  lies  our  predominant  Inter  eft 
c  and  CAUSE ;  and  the  Great  END  for  which  we 
c  came  into  this  Wildernefs,  and  continue  in  it. 


NUM- 


APPENDIX.  2,07 

Number  III. 

NEW-ENGLANTfs  True  Intcreft ;  fur- 
ther Declared,  in  the  Words  of  the 
Honourable  WILLIAM  STOUGH- 
TON,  Efq;  in  a  SERMON  preach'd 
by  Him,  (in  the  Audience  of  the 
General  Court,,  April  1 663.)  when 
He  was  a  Preacher  of  the  Gofpel  at 
Dorchefter : 

From  which  he  was  call'd  Succeffhely  to  many 
Stations  of  the  higheft  Figure  in  the  Civil 
Government  ;  and  when  he  died  was  Comman- 
der in  Chief  of  the  PROVINCE. 

The  Bifcourfe  is  Entituled,  NEW-ENGLANBh  "True 
Inter -eft ,  From  thofe  Words,  Ifa.  63.  8.  He  /aid 
furely  they  are  my  People^  Children  that  will  not  lie : 
So  He  was  their  Saviour. 

1  f~Tp  HIS  we  muft  know,  that  the  Lord  expecls  great 
X     c  Things  of  NEW-ENGLAND,  above  any 

*  Nation  or  People  in  the  World.     And  His  Expecta- 
6  tions  herein  are  juft  and  righteous.         For 

'  As  for  fpecial  Relation  to  GOD  ;    whom  hath  the 

*  Lord  more  fignally  exalted  than   His  People  in  this 
8  Wildernefs  ? 

-— c  As  for  Extraction  and  Befcent ;  O  what  Parents 
c  and  Predeceffors  may  we  the  moft  of  us  look  back 
'  unto  ?    Thro'  whole   Loins  the   Lord  hath  ftretch'd 

*  forth  the  Line  of  his  Covenant  to  take  us  in.  — 

i  ■  ,r 


*o8  APPENDIX. 

c  for  Reftipulaiions  and  Engagements  back  again  to 
«GOD-,  What  Awful  Publick  %rMaclions  of  this 
«  kind  have  there  been  among  us  ?  —  As  to  cur  Advan- 
c  tages  and  Priviledges  in  a  Covenant  State,  here  Time 
c  and  Strength  would  fail  me,  to  reckon  up  what  we 
c  have  enjoy'd  of  this  kind.  —  And  then,  As  to  New- 
'  England's  FIRST  WAYS;,    What  Glorious  Things 

*  might  be  fpoken  to  the  praife  of  Free  Grace. 

6  But,  O !  what  a  fad  Metamorphofis  hath   there  of 

*  later  Years  pail  upon  thefe  Churches  and  Plantations  ? 
c  —  It  muft  ba  fpoken  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  O 
'  New-England,  Thy  God  expects  better  Things  from 
c  thee  and  thy  Children  •,  not  Worldly nefs ;  —  not  an 

*  itching  after  new  'Things  and  Ways  —  -,  not  a  drawing 
«  loofe  in  the  Yoke  of  God  ? 

'  Alas !  How  is  New- England,  in  Danger  of  being 
6  loft  even  in  New-England?  How  fadly  may  we  la- 
c  ment  it,  that  All  are  not  Ifrael  that  are  now  in  Ifrael  ? 

*  The  Firft  Generation  have  been  ripen'd  Time  after 
6  Time,  and  the  moll  of  them  gather'd  in  as  Shocks  of 
c  Corn  in  their  Sea/on  ;  But  we  that  rife  up  to  tread  out 
4  the  Footfteps  of  them  that  are  gone  before  us,  Alas ! 
6  what  are  we  ?  It  is  a  fad  Name,  to  be  ftiled  Children 
<-  that  are  Corrupters.  {If a.   i.  4.]  But  are  we  not  in- 

*  deed  many  of  us  Corrupted,  and  that   which  is  far 

*  worfe,  Corrupters  ?  How  is  our  Wine  mixed  with 
c  Water  ?  Many,  (as  we  may  juftly  fear)  would  but  too 
c  Coon  and  too  eajily  entertain  a  Lie  in  the  Worfhip  of 
•God,  and  return  to  the  Onions  and  Gar  lick  of  Egypt 
*•  again . 

4  The  common  Interred  of  the  People  of  God,  and 
4  of  Us  the  Lord's  People  in  fpecial,  is,  the  Inrerefl  of 
c  practical  Piety  and  Holinefs  -,  —  the  Intereft  of  Unmixed 
<-  "Spiritual  Go/pel  WorfJjip  ;  —  the  Intereft  of  Unity  and 

*  Peace  in  the  Ways  of  Reformation :  The  Intereft  of 
-."    t   Things,  and  of  juft   and  righteous  Liberties  in 

'•  order  thereunto  -,  The  Tim^s  are  coming  and  haften- 
.  \g  more  and  more,  wherein  Faithfulnef  to  God  in  all 

'  thefe 


APPENDIX  *o9 

c  thefe  Things,  will  be  the  moil  glorious  Crown  that 
'  can  be  worn  upon  Earth  ;  A  Crown  upon  which  it 
'  jfhaJl  be  graven,  Here  is  the  Faith  and  Patience  of  the 

*  Saints.  This  then  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord  to  His 
c  New-England  Churches,  Let  no  Man  take  this  your 
'  Crown  from  you. 

This  Eminent  Perfon  goes  on,  and  earneftly  Advifes 
the  rifen  and  rifing  Generation  of  this  Land,  to  make 
Confcience,  not  only  of  being  rightly  informed  in  that 
Caufe  of  GOD  which  we  are  here  wrapt  up  in,  and  in 
adhering  to  thofe  Things  wherein  the  Lord  hath  hither- 
to preferved  and  blefTed  His  Churches  and  People,  but 
alfo  of  getting  a  Sight  and  View  of  the  Divine  Beauty  and 
Glory  thereof  '  And  truly,  fays  He,  As  to  this  Caufe 
\  and  Intereft  of  GOD,  there  can  be  no  other  Founda- 
4  tions  laid  than  thofe  which  have  he  en  laid.  New-En- 
6  gland's  true  and  main  Intereft,  tiie  Caufe  of  Chrift  in 

*  His   Churches    here,  It   is  a   fixed   and   unalterable 

*  Thing :  It  is  not  now  to  be  found  out  by  any  new 

*  Eight,  Let  us  take  heed  of  inquiring  of,  or  liftening, 

*  in  this  Matter,  unto,  the  Determinations  and  Glojfes  of 
4  fuch  as  have  had  no  Standing  in  the  Ways  ot  God 
c  here,  but  have  been  grafted  in  upon  By- Accounts,  or 

*  move  in  the  Eccentrick  Orb  of  fome  private  Intereft, 

*  diftincl  from  that  of  the  whole.     And  let  us  alfo  lay 

*  down  this  as  a  Rule,  That  whatfoever  it  is  that  hath 

*  been  unanimoufty  Rejetled  and  Condemned  in  its  Claims 

*  by  the  acknowledged  moft  eminent  Reformers  in  each  Age9 

*  fince  the  Apoftacy  of  Antichrift  prevailed,  this  can  never 

*  in  thefe  our  Days,  juftify  its  Title  to  that  Caufe  of  Chrift* 

*  that  is  to  be  maintained  and  contended  for. 


E  e  Nuni' 


iio  APPENDIX. 

Number  IV. 

The  TESTIMONY  Finilhcd, 
By  Dr.  INCREASE  MATHER. 

Now  tbefe  be  the  Lafi  Words 

FAVING  reviewed  the  Harmonious  TESTIMO- 
NY of  thofe  "Three  Worthies  in  our  Jfrael,  our 
Memorable  MITCHEL,  our  Venerable  HIGGIN- 
SON,  and  our  Honourable  STOUGHTON,  unto  the 
CAUSE  of  GOD  in  the  Churches  of  NEW-EN- 
GLAND, and  the  Great  END  of  thefe  Plantations, 
I  do  now  with  my  DYING  HAND  Sign  my  Con- 
currence thereunto.  I  am  now  in  the  Eighty  Fourth 
Year  of  my  Age,  and  under  a  Feeblenefs  in  the  Valley 
cf  the  jhadow  of  Death,  wherein  the  LORD  is  yet  a 
Light  unto  me,  and  makes  it  but  a  Shadow  of  Death ; 
and  I  am  every  Hour  waiting  and  longing  for  my 
Difmiffion  to  a*  Better  World.  In  thefe  very  fingular 
Circumita-ices,  I  am  willing  to  add  my  TESTIMONY 
concurrent  with  the  foregoing,  and  I  do  Declare,  That 
the  Principal  DESIGN  upon  which  thefe  Colonies 
were  at  firft  Planted,  was  to  Profefs,  and  Praclice  and 
Enjoy,  with  undifturb'd  Liberty,  the  Holy  RELIGION 
of  GOD  our  SAVIOUR,  Exhibited  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  and  Reformed  and  Refcued  from  the 
Inventions  and  Abufes,  which  the  Man  of  Sin  has  intro- 
duced •,  And,  more  particularly,  To  fet  up  CHUR- 
CHES [Even  of  the  Aboriginal  Natives,  as  well  as  of 
Englijh  Chrijlians]  for  our  Lord  JESUS  CHRIST, 
that  fhall  keep  themfelves  Loyal  to  Him,  their  Glorious 
KING,  in  His  Word,  giving  Law  unto  them  -,  and 

faith- 


APPENDIX.  in 

FaithfuJ  to  the  Religion  of  the  SECOND  COM- 
MANDMENT ;  and  free  from  thofe  Offenfive  Things 
From  which  our  UNITED  BRETHREN,   of  the 

Pre/byterian  and  Congregational  Denomination  in  the 
Englijh  Nation  have  withdrawn  themfelves ;  and  which 
our  Honoured  and  Beloved  BRETHREN,  in  the 
Renowned  Church  of  SCOTLAND,  have  abolifh'd 
and  abandon'd. 

It  was  equally  defign'd  by  thofe  Followers  of  the 
Lord  into  the  Wildernefs,  when  it  was  a  Land  not  fowny 
That  the  pure  and  undefiled  Religion  deliver'd  unto  us 
in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  (and  Exhibited  afterwards  in 
our  Confeffion  of  Faith,)  mould  be  continually  Preach'd, 
and  our  Doclrines  of  Grace  particularly  alTerted,  by 
MINISTERS  of  Good  Abilities  •,  and  Exemplary  God- 
linefs  and  Watchfulnefs,  freely  and  fairly  cholen  by  the 
Churches  whereof  they  are  to  be  the  Paftors.  And  it 
alfo  belongs  unto  the  Glory  of  thefe  Churches,  to  be  fo 
Conftituted,  as  Livelily  to  Exhibit  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  to  the  World ;  Both  Debarring  from  their 
Communion  fuch  Ignorant  and  Scandalous  Perfons  (who 
can't  or  won't  Examine  themfelves)  as  are  to  be  fhut  out 
from  the  City  of  GOD  •,  And  Admitting  of  all  thofe 
(tho*  in  different  Perfwafions  about  leffer  Points,)  of 
whom  it  may  be  Judged,  That  CHRIST  has  received 
them  to  the  Glory  of  GOD,  Our  Foundation  is  in  thefe 
Holy  Mountains. 

It  is  now  accordingly  die  DYING  WISH,  of  One 
that  has  been  about  Threefcore  and  Six  Years,  after 
a  poor  manner,  but  I  hope,  with  fome  Sincerity,  fer~ 
ving  the  beft  of  Mafters,  in  the  bleffed  Work  of  the 
Gofpel;  That  the  CHURCHES  may  Stand f aft  in 
the  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Gofpel,  and  hold  faft  what 
they  have  received,  and  Let  no  Man  take  away  their 
Crown.  And,  that  the  PASTORS  would  more  Dif- 
{inclly  from  Time  to  Time,  and  with  proper  Inculca^ 
tions,  acquaint  the  Churches  with  their  True  Inter  eft  \ 
'  $$&  thofe  Things  which  will  be  their  Beauty  and  their 
Ee?  Safety, 


%\%  APPENDIX. 

Safety.  And  confidering  the  Relation  which  I  have  here- 
tofore fuftain'd  as  a  Prefident  for  Twenty  Years,  it  is 
highly  proper  for  me  to  leave  it  as  alfo  my  more  parti- 
cular Dafire,  that  the  Tutors  in  our  COLLEGES,  from 
whence  the  Churches  expect  their  Supplies ,  would  fee  to 
have  the  Students  well  informed  in  the  Points,  which 
they  muft  Know  and  Serve,  that  fo  the  WORK  of 
GOD  among  us  may  not  be  marr'd  by  falling  into  Un~ 
ikilful  and  Unfaithful  Hands. 

Indeed,  I  cannot  but  go  away  Rejoicing  in  it,  That 
the  Means,  which  are  indefatigably  ufed,  for  the  draw- 
ing of  unwary  People  into  the  Things  that  will  not  profit 
them,  have  had  fo  little  Succefs ;  and  that  the  Body  of 
the  Sober  People  throughout  the  Country,  (To  far  as  I 
underftand)  generally  continue  to  diicover  fuch  a  confpi- 
cuous  Averfion  to  the  Things,  from  the  Face  whereof 
their  Fathers  fled  into  the  Wildernefs :  tho*  at  the  fame 
time,  a  too  general  Decay  of  that  Real  and  Vital  God- 
lineis,  which  is  to  be  the  main  Intention  of  all,  is  greatly 
to  be  bewailed.  But  there  may  be  Danger  of  Another 
Generation  arifing,  which  will  not  know  the  Lord,  nor 
the  Works  done  by  Him,  and  for  Him,  among  His  Peo- 
ple here. 

And  therefore  from  the  Suburbs  of  that  Glorious  World, 
into  which  I  am  now  Entring,  I  earneftly  Teitify  unto  the 
Rijvng  Generation,  That  if  they  finfully  Forfake  theGOD, 
and  the  Hope,  and  the  Religious  Ways  of  their  pious  An- 
ceftors,  the  Glorious  LORD  will  feverely  punilh  their 
Jpofiacy,  and  be  Terrible  from  His  Holy  Places  unto  them. 

Now,  The  Lord  our  GOD  be  with  you,  as  He  was 
with  your  Fathers-,  Let  Him  not  leave  you,  nor  forfake 
you.  LORD,  Let  thy  Work  appear  unto  thy  Servants^ 
end  thy  Glory  unto  their  Children  I 

Novemb.  10.  1722. 


The  END  of  the  Appendix. 

THE 


("3  ) 

The  CONTENTS. 

The  General  Difcourfc  of  CONGRE- 
GATIONAL  CHURCHES. 


C 


Ongregational  Church  what.  Page 

Congregational  Churches  inilituted. 


Principles  on  which  they  are  founded.  5 

Thefe  prefcr'd  to  National  Churches.  7 

Sentiments  leading  to  the  Congregational  Way.  8 
How  the  Tyranny  of  the  Clergy  forfaken  in  it ; 

and  its  Advantages.  9 

Primitive  Churches  Congregational.  10 

Reafonablenefs  of  Congregational  Way.  13 

Arguments  againft  it  anfwer'd.  13 
Congregational  Churches  the  firft  Subject  of 

Offices,  Gifts  and  Powers.  25 

The  Reformation  beft  defended  from  This.  25 
How  particular  Churches  came  to  be  depriv'd 

of  their  Powers.  27 
Natural  Light  and  Chriftian  Prudence  to  be 

ufed  by  the  Churches  in  fome  Circumftances.  28 

But  no  finding  and  impofing  odd  Inventions.  29 
Call  to  the  Churches  to  obferve  the  Rules  of  Rea- 

fon  and  Revelation  and  take  Care  of  their 

Liberties.  32 

Reafons  of  writing  the  Apology.  33 
Charity  of  the  New-Englifh  Churches  towards 

them  that  are  not  of  their  Way.  34 


The  Diftinguifhing  Liberties  of  the  New-Englifh 
Churches  maintain'd.  35, 

Chapter  I.  Their  Right  to  chufe  their  Officers.     36. 
Scriptural  Proofs  tor  it.  sy» 

Reafons  for  it.  39. 

Objections  anfwered.  42  • 

Proofs 


«4  CONTENTS. 

Proofs  From  ancient  Writers.  44, 

Whence  Churches  depriv'd  of  this  Right.  49. 

Proteftant  Writers  for  it.  49, 

Call  upon  Churches  to  abide  by  it.  50. 

Chapter  II.  Their  Right  to  ordain  their  Minifters. 
Churches  before  their  Officers  ;  and  no  uninter- 
rupted Succeffion  and  Ordination.  51,  52, 
Ordination  by  a  Bifhop  or  an  Elderfhip.  $%, 
Epiftles  to  'Timothy  and  Titus  neither  Epifcopal 

nor  Prefbyterian.  54, 

People  may  ordain  their  Minifter.  *^ 

Antiquity  no  Stranger  to  This.  J    $'' 

Officers  of  Neighbour  Churches  may  be  cor- 
rupt or  wicked.  59, 
If  not,  they  have  abfolutely  no  Right  to  ordain 

Minifters  over  Neighbour  Churches.  60. 

Elders  of  particular  Churches  may  ordain.     "^    ^ 
So  may  Elders  meeting  in  Council  or  Synod  J2 
Fabritiufs  Thoughts  of  Ordination.  \    ^ 

Our  Fathers'  Thought  of  it.  J 

Arguments  and  Authorities  for  it.  62, 

Teftimonies  of  the  Ancients. 71 

""ChapteFTlI.  Their  Right  to  fend  forth  Delegates 

and  call  them  to  an  Account.  73, 

Scriptural  and  other  Proofs  of  it.  74. 

No  'Subftitutions  of  Delegates.  76. 

PafTages  from  ancient  Authors.  yyt 

The  Churches  exhorted  to  Watchfulnefs.  78. 

~~ Chapter  IV.  Their  Right  to  depofe  and  to  with- 
draw from  their  Elders. 
The  Sentiments  of  our  Fathers.  79. 

The  Reafon  of  it.  80. 

Antiquity  for  it.  §1. 

They"  may  certainly  withdraw  from  Elders.  "^    g 
The  Scriptural  Warrant  for  it.  Jf      3" 

Teftimonies  to  it.  84. 

Exhortation  to  maintain  the  Right,  85. 

Chap* 


CONTENTS.  xi; 

Chapter  V.    Their  Right  to  except  againft  the 
Approach  of  the  Difqualified  to  Communion. 

The  Sentiments  and  Expectations  of  thefe 

Churches.  $5. 

What  reafonable  for  Candidates  of  Communion.  87. 

Reafon  for  the  Right  we  claim.  88. 

Scriptural  Authority  &primitive Antiquity.  88,89. 

Churches  exhorted  to  perform  their  Duty.  91. 

Chap.  VI.  The  Brethren's  Right  to  deal  with  their 

Brethren  in  Private  and  to  judge  in  Public. 
The  Opinion  of  thefe  Churches.  <)%. 

The  Divine  Warrant.  94. 

How  Difcipline  adminiftred.  96. 

Sacred  Proofs  of  the  Church's  Power.  99. 

Reafon  of  the  Thing  for  it.  101, 

Teftimonies  from  Ancients.  102. 

Teftimonies  from  Moderns.  103. 

How  Churches  and  Brethren  depriv'd  of     ")    n . , 

their  Right.  J 

Elders  not  excluded  from  their  Right.  104. 

Manner  and  Circumftances  of  Difcipline 

And  Ends  of  it.  105. 

When  the  Ends  not  anfwer'd,  what  then  ?        106. 
Excommunication  what.  107. 

Againft  claiming  infallible  Authority  and 

ufmg  Force.  108. 


Chapter  VII.  Their  Right  to  fit  and  act  in  Councils 
and  Synods  -9  with  the  Power  of  Synods  explain'd. 

There  fhould  be  Councils  and  Synods,  but  no 

State  Policy.  icq. 

Meetings  of  the  Clergy  dangerous.  1 10. 

Power  of  calling  Councils  in  Churches.  1 1 1  - 

Perfons  compofing  Councils  and  Synods.  112. 

Right  of  Fraternity  from  the  Scripture.  IMS, 

Their  Right  afferted  in  later  Times.  113. 

Reafon  of  Thing  and  natural  Juftice  for  it.  -114- 


ii6  CONTENTS. 

The  Scripture  the  Rule  &  Judge  of  Controverfies.i  1 5. 

Antiquity  no  Stranger  to  Brethren's  Right.  1 1 6. 

Our  Churches  for  this  Right:  They  have  it  and 
ought  to  have  it.  117. 

They  have  not,  nor  want  any  Juridical  Power.     118. 

Teftimonies  againft  fuch  a  Power.  Ibid. 

Reafons  againft  it.  121. 

Synods  and  General  Councils  may  deceive  and 

be  deceived.  123. 

Proofs  and  Inftances  of  it.  124. 

Teftimonies  againft  Synods  &  General  Councils.  1260 

If  General  Councils  infallible,  they  have  no  Ju- 
ridical Power.  127^ 

Luther's  Advice  and  Caution  applied  to  thefe 
Churches.  128% 

■*■"  ■  1  ■  '  1 

Chapter  VIII.  The  Right  of  thefe  Churches  to  hold  Com- 
munion with  one  another. 

They  may  partake  with  one  another.  150. 

They  may  recommend  their  Brethren*  151. 

They  may  propagate  Churches.  Ibid* 

They  may  communicate  temporal  and  fpiritual  Relief 

andSupport  unto  them.  iiz* 

They  may  lawfully  confult  with  one  another*  Ibid* 

They  may  admonifh  one  another.  133. 

The  Method  of  admonifhing.  134. 

There  is  a  Confociation  of  thefe  Churches*  1  $6, 

There  ought  to  be  fuch  a  Confociation.  158. 

Nogreat  Confufion  to  be  fear'd  from  it.  i$q« 

Our  Apprehenfion  of  this  Method  and  its  Negleft.  140., 

The  Conciuftonf  in  a  brief  Addrel's  to  the  Churches.      p.  141. 

The  Appendix. 
Part  I.  Specimens  of  the  Catholic  Principles  of  the  New- 

Englilh  Churches.  147* 

One  Evidence  of  them.  148* 

Another  particular  Teftimony  to  them.  I49» 

More  General  Teftimonies  to  them.  !$*• 

Fart  II.  Proofs  and  Evidences  of  a  Confociation  of  thefe 

Churches.  %07' 

Part  III.  Containing  a  Vindication  of  the  Ncw-Englifb 

Churches  in  fundry  particular  Inftances.  *74* 

Part  IV.    Some  Teftimonies  to  the  Caufe  and  Woik  of 

GOD  in  the  Churches  of  New£ngland*  *ce« 

F   I   tf   I    $. 


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